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Elon musk (Photo: Reuters)
At an event in New Delhi, Scindia, who oversees the telecom ministry, said: “If you do decide to auction it, then you will differ on the process from the rest of the world.” In response, Musk welcomed the comments and said that Starlink will do its best to serve India.
Much appreciated! We will do our best to serve the people of India with Starlink.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2024
The development highlights the intensifying competition for satellite services in India, as the domestic market is expected to grow at 36 per cent a year to reach $1.9 billion by 2030. Musk’s company, Starlink, believes that direct licensing aligns with global practices, arguing that spectrum, as a natural resource, should be shared by companies. In contrast, Ambani’s Reliance contends that an auction is necessary to ensure a level playing field.
News agency Reuters reported on Sunday that Reliance had challenged the Indian telecom regulator’s consultation process, which suggests that satellite broadband spectrum should be allocated, not auctioned. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is the regulatory body on the matter, and its final recommendations could significantly influence the Centre’s decision.
Notably, Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal also echoed Musk’s views on the licensing route on Tuesday. Musk is eager to launch Starlink in India, but unresolved spectrum allocation issues could act as a hurdle.
First Published: Oct 16 2024 | 10:01 AM IST
