Starlink, OneWeb and Jio: Where India’s satellite internet race stands

India’s satellite internet race is on. The launch is still on hold.

India’s satellite internet market is moving closer to a commercial launch, but Starlink, OneWeb and Jio still need spectrum and final clearances before they can offer services to customers.

All three companies hold a Unified Licence with authorisation to provide Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) services in India, according to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).


However, the licence alone does not allow them to launch commercial satellite broadband. They need a separate spectrum assignment and must meet security and other regulatory requirements.

Here is where the three companies stand.

Starlink

Elon Musk’s Starlink received its GMPCS authorisation in June 2025. In July that year, India’s space regulator, IN-SPACe, approved its first-generation constellation of 4,408 satellites for traditional broadband services, according to The Economic Times.

The regulator did not approve its larger Gen 2 constellation at the time. Starlink has since reapplied, seeking authorisation for nearly 30,000 satellites and capabilities including direct-to-device connectivity, which allows satellites to connect directly to devices such as mobile phones, ET reported.

The company has yet to launch commercial services in India. It is awaiting spectrum allocation and the remaining security and regulatory clearances, according to ET’s September report.

Starlink has not announced official India pricing for its residential service. A monthly price of Rs 8,600 and an equipment cost of Rs 34,000 briefly appeared on its India website in December 2025.

Lauren Dreyer, vice-president of Starlink Business Operations, subsequently said on X that a technical glitch had exposed test figures that did not reflect actual India pricing.

OneWeb

Eutelsat’s OneWeb became the first of the three to receive IN-SPACe authorisation for commercial satellite broadband services in India in November 2023. OneWeb India also holds GMPCS authorisation from DoT.

“Eutelsat OneWeb is ready to deploy as soon as it receives the final spectrum authorization to launch commercial services,” Sunil Bharti Mittal, Bharti Group chairman and Eutelsat Group co-chairman, said in a November 2023 company statement.

OneWeb has also partnered with Tata Group company Nelco to offer low Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity across India, on land, at sea and in the air, according to Eutelsat. It has not announced an Indian consumer tariff.

Reliance Jio

Jio Satellite Communications, Reliance Jio’s satellite arm, also holds GMPCS authorisation. Through JioSpaceFiber, Jio plans to use satellite capacity to connect areas that conventional networks struggle to reach, according to a Reliance Industries company statement.

Its existing initiative uses satellite capacity from Luxembourg-based SES. Jio has not announced a confirmed consumer price or commercial launch date.

The company is also planning a separate, longer-term LEO network of around 1,600 satellites, according to ET Bureau. IN-SPACe deemed the proposal technically sound in July, ET reported.

Jio is targeting a September 2027 test flight, with 400–450 satellites planned for deployment by 2030 and the full network targeted for completion by 2035, according to the report.

What is holding them back?

In September, the Digital Communications Commission approved a satellite spectrum allocation framework, according to ET. The proposal sets the spectrum usage charge at 5% of adjusted gross revenue, with a one-percentage-point reduction for operators serving government-notified rural and remote areas.

Spectrum would be assigned administratively, rather than through an auction, for five years, with an option for a two-year extension, Moneycontrol reported.

The decision does not amount to final launch approval. DoT must take the proposal to the Cabinet, while operators still need security and other clearances.

“A Cabinet note is now being prepared, and a final decision will be taken soon,” an unnamed official told ET in September.

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