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India’s leading telecom operators Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel established separate partnerships with SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite internet services nationwide. These agreements seek to extend satellite internet access within Indian territories, especially in underserved rural areas and remote locations.
The telecom companies received agreements that allow them to distribute Starlink's satellite equipment and provide its service distribution. Jio, India's leading telecom operator, will distribute Starlink hardware to customers in person at its stores and online and provide technical assistance for setup and activation. Through its large retail operations Airtel implements an identical distribution strategy to Jio's to extend its service reach to a broader demographic.
The partnership relies on government approvals, which SpaceX has pursued with the Indian authorities since 2022. Jio and Airtel's involvement represents a major development toward providing Starlink service to India's millions of people with inadequate internet access even though the Indian government has not approved Starlink operations.
Earlier, Jio and Airtel sided against satellite internet services, such as Starlink and other similar services, when they attempted to enter the Indian market. Through its co-developed broadband service, JioSpaceFiber, SES Jio and Airtel utilize its stake in Eutelsat OneWeb to compete directly against Starlink. Both telecom giants established strategic partnerships with SpaceX after opposing satellite internet entry.
Their new approach to satellite internet demonstrates how they want to use SpaceX's sophisticated technology rather than engage in direct market competition. A new policy from India enabled satellite spectrum distribution through administrative procedures after Musk's global business expansion plans. The cooperation between Jio and Airtel enables them to improve their broadband service delivery capabilities while extending networks to areas with limited internet access.
The combination of Starlink, Jio and Airtel broadband networks presents an opportunity to deliver dependable high-speed internet to traditional internet desolate areas. Through this collaboration, the telecom companies assume a leading position in India's fast-growing satellite broadband industry.
Internet access continues to spread across India, while several locations particularly rural areas and remote locations, experience limited connectivity. Recent statistics show that the number of people without reliable internet access in India exceeds 670 million. Through its partnership with SpaceX the organization works to deliver high-speed satellite internet coverage that traditional internet services do not reach.
Deploying Starlink's service to consumers will establish an additional broadband solution that might close the digital access gap. Pricing structures will determine how many customers adopt the service. Introducing Jio and Airtel into satellite broadband could reduce prices while maintaining higher costs than traditional mobile data-based services. Expert analysts predict a major price reduction for the service because telecom giants will use their existing infrastructure to reduce overall costs.
