Elon Musk has said SpaceX will need to price its Starlink satellite internet service affordably in India to compete with Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, escalating tensions between the two billionaires days before Jio Platforms prepares for what is expected to be India's largest-ever initial public offering (IPO).
Musk's comments come as Jio Platforms targets a valuation of USD 106 billion in its proposed listing. Both Starlink and Jio's satellite internet venture are awaiting final security clearance from the Indian government before launching their services.
In a post on his social media platform X on Saturday, Musk acknowledged that Starlink would struggle to attract customers in India if its services were too expensive.
“Obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable,” he said.
Musk did not disclose the proposed prices for Starlink in India. Mobile data in the country costs approximately 8 cents per gigabyte, making it one of the cheapest markets globally.
Affordable data has been central to Jio's growth in India. Musk has also used competitive pricing in markets such as Kenya to challenge established telecom operators. SpaceX is separately planning to enter the mobile carrier market, beginning in the United States.
Musk said greater competition would benefit Indian consumers by offering them more choices, even if it reduced Ambani's profits.
“The reality is that competition would greatly benefit the average citizen in India by giving them more choices, as it always does. Ambani's profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business,” he added.
Also Read: Sridhar Vembu Defends India's Data Prices Amid Elon Musk's Starlink Row
Musk's latest remarks follow a series of posts on X in which he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and Ambani of delaying Starlink's entry into India to protect Jio's dominant position in the market.
The comments mark a shift in Musk's previously warm public rapport with Modi.
Late on Friday, Musk directly taunted Ambani by addressing him as "Prime Minister Ambani" and asking whether he would "consider allowing Starlink to compete".
The Indian government has denied allegations of bias in the satellite internet approval process. Authorities have maintained that all three satellite ventures seeking to launch services, including Starlink and Jio's, are awaiting final security clearance.
Reliance has not responded to requests for comment on Musk's allegations.
With Jio's proposed IPO approaching and satellite internet approvals still pending, the competition between Musk and Ambani could add another dimension to India's rapidly evolving telecommunications market.