Reliance Industries said on Friday it welcomed competition in satellite broadband, including from Starlink, days after Elon Musk escalated his criticism of the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate and urged it to allow Starlink to compete in India.
In a statement, Reliance said all companies, Indian or foreign, must follow the same regulatory process, adding that Jio’s satellite services were also awaiting clearances.
The statement comes amid a public spat over Starlink’s entry into India’s satellite communications market, with Musk criticising Reliance and the competitive landscape.
Reliance said the sector must remain open to investment and innovation, provided companies comply with the country’s laws and policies.
“Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” the company said.
Reliance also rejected any suggestion that it feared competition, citing Jio’s entry into the crowded telecom market in 2016 as a newcomer with no customers.
The company said Jio had since earned the trust of more than 530 million customers and helped provide affordable data and digital infrastructure across India.
“We have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best,” Reliance said.
The company added that India’s openness to domestic and international investment rested on the rule of law, and cited the government’s position that the same process applied to every applicant, regardless of whether it was Indian or foreign.