Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has said his group is significantly ahead of Elon Musk’s Starlink in India’s satellite communications approval process. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum on October 14, 2026, Mittal said Bharti had applied for approvals around five years ago and had its ground infrastructure ready, while its satellites had been positioned over India for several years.
Despite this claimed head start, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has not yet begun commercial satellite communications services in India. The remaining process includes government clearances and spectrum allocation. Indian officials have said Starlink, OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite venture are subject to regulatory and security requirements, rejecting claims that the process unfairly favours domestic competitors.
Key Takeaways
- Sunil Bharti Mittal says Bharti is significantly ahead of Starlink in India’s satellite communications approval queue.
- Bharti’s satellite venture operates through Eutelsat OneWeb, in which Bharti Enterprises is a major shareholder.
- Mittal said the company applied for approvals around five years ago and has had infrastructure ready for several years.
- Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite business still face outstanding regulatory requirements.
- The government has rejected allegations of discriminatory treatment in the approval process.
- The eventual launch could expand connectivity options, particularly in remote and underserved areas, but commercial availability and pricing remain uncertain.
What Did Sunil Bharti Mittal Say About Starlink?
Sunil Bharti Mittal said Bharti was significantly ahead of Starlink in the queue for satellite communications approvals in India. His comments came as Starlink’s proposed entry into the Indian market became the subject of a public dispute involving Musk, Indian telecom companies and the government’s regulatory process.
Mittal said Bharti had applied for the necessary approvals approximately five years ago. He also pointed to the readiness of its ground infrastructure and the positioning of its satellites over India.
His remarks highlight a key distinction in the satellite internet race: having satellites and ground infrastructure in place does not automatically authorize a company to begin commercial operations.
Satellite communications providers must meet regulatory requirements covering licensing, technical compliance, security and spectrum access. A company can make substantial investments in infrastructure while still waiting for the permissions needed to serve customers.
Mittal’s statement describes Bharti’s position in the approval process. It does not mean the company has received every clearance required to launch commercial services.
What Is Bharti’s Satellite Internet Business?
Bharti’s satellite communications interests are linked to Eutelsat OneWeb, the satellite operator formed through the combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb.
OneWeb operates a low-Earth-orbit satellite network designed to deliver connectivity across locations that can be difficult or expensive to reach through conventional terrestrial infrastructure.
Unlike a traditional mobile network that relies primarily on cellular towers, satellite connectivity can reach geographically dispersed locations using satellites and ground equipment. The technology can support connectivity for enterprises, governments, telecom operators and other users, depending on the service model and regulatory permissions.
Bharti’s involvement in OneWeb gives the group a position in the global satellite communications market alongside its established telecom operations.
The opportunity is not limited to selling broadband directly to individual households. Satellite networks can also provide backhaul connectivity for mobile operators, support enterprise communications and help connect remote facilities where fibre deployment is difficult.
However, the exact services available to Indian customers will depend on the commercial model, authorisations and rollout plans announced when operations are permitted to begin.
Starlink, OneWeb and Jio: The Competition in India
India has attracted interest from several satellite communications providers because of its large population, extensive geography and uneven availability of high-speed connectivity.
Three major private-sector contenders are seeking to establish satellite communications services in the country.
| Company or group | Satellite business | Current position |
|---|---|---|
| Bharti Enterprises | Eutelsat OneWeb | Awaiting remaining approvals to begin services |
| SpaceX | Starlink | Awaiting outstanding Indian regulatory requirements |
| Reliance Industries | Jio Satellite Communications | Subject to the relevant approvals and spectrum process |
<Cite refs={[“turn158487search3″,”turn158487search13″,”turn158487search14”]}/>
The companies differ in their satellite networks, business models and target customers. Starlink is widely associated with direct-to-consumer satellite broadband, while OneWeb has also focused on enterprise, government and telecom connectivity partnerships.
Jio’s satellite communications initiative could complement Reliance’s existing telecommunications and digital services operations.
The precise competitive impact will depend on which services each company launches, their pricing, the quality of connectivity and how quickly they can scale their operations.
Why Has Starlink’s India Launch Been Delayed?
Starlink has spent years preparing to enter India but has not yet started commercial satellite internet services. The company has secured important preliminary permissions, but some final requirements remain outstanding.
The process includes security assessments, compliance with Indian rules and spectrum allocation. These requirements determine how satellite operators can provide services and how their networks must function within the country.
In early October, Musk alleged that influential business interests were obstructing Starlink’s entry to protect existing market positions. His remarks intensified public scrutiny of the approval process.
The Indian government rejected allegations of discriminatory treatment, stating that satellite operators were subject to the applicable regulatory and security requirements. Reporting has also indicated that OneWeb and Jio completed certain security and technical demonstrations before Starlink, although all three remained unable to launch commercial services while further requirements were pending.
The difference between the companies’ progress on individual compliance steps and their overall readiness to launch is important. Completing one technical demonstration does not necessarily mean that all approvals have been granted.
The available information therefore supports a narrower conclusion: Mittal says Bharti is ahead in the approval queue, while commercial authorisation remains unresolved for the major contenders.
What Approvals Are Needed Before Satellite Services Can Launch?
Satellite communications providers must satisfy several regulatory and operational requirements before beginning commercial services.
1. Telecommunications licensing
A company needs the relevant authorisation to provide satellite-based communications services in India. Licensing establishes the regulatory basis under which an operator can serve customers.
2. Space-sector authorisation
Satellite operators must comply with India’s space-sector authorisation framework. The requirements can include permissions relating to satellite systems and their operations.
3. Security clearance
Satellite networks have implications for national security, data handling and communications infrastructure. Government assessments are intended to establish compliance with applicable security conditions.
4. Spectrum allocation
Spectrum is essential for transmitting and receiving signals between satellites and user terminals or ground stations. Operators need access to the appropriate frequencies under the conditions set by the government.
The completion of these steps determines whether a company can move from preparation to commercial service. The specific status of each requirement can differ across operators, even when all remain unable to launch.
How Satellite Internet Could Benefit India
Satellite communications can help extend connectivity to areas where conventional networks face geographical or economic constraints.
Connecting remote and rural areas
Building fibre networks or cellular towers can be difficult in mountainous regions, remote villages, islands and sparsely populated areas. Satellite links can offer an alternative where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.
Satellite connectivity does not automatically make service affordable, but it can provide a way to connect locations that are expensive to serve using traditional infrastructure.
Supporting businesses and critical services
Enterprises operating mines, ports, energy facilities, logistics networks and remote industrial sites may need reliable connectivity beyond major cities.
Satellite services can also provide backup connectivity for organisations that need alternative communications routes during terrestrial network outages.
Extending telecom network coverage
Telecom operators can use satellite links to connect remote network sites or provide backhaul where fibre connections are unavailable. This can complement existing mobile networks rather than replace them.
The eventual benefits will depend on coverage, service reliability, user equipment costs and the commercial terms offered by operators.
What the Satellite Internet Race Means for Consumers
Competition between Starlink, OneWeb and Jio could create additional connectivity options in India. However, the benefits will depend on the services each company is authorised to offer.
For households, important considerations will include monthly subscription costs, equipment prices, installation requirements, speeds, latency and data policies.
For enterprises, the decision may depend more on coverage, reliability, service-level agreements and integration with existing communications systems.
Satellite broadband is particularly valuable where terrestrial connectivity is weak. In areas already served by affordable fibre or strong mobile networks, it may be less competitive on price.
Consumers should therefore avoid assuming that the arrival of more satellite operators will immediately result in cheaper broadband across the country. The technology is most likely to complement existing networks in locations and applications where it offers a clear advantage.
The Bigger Picture
India’s satellite communications market is moving toward a more competitive structure, with domestic telecom groups and international satellite operators seeking access to a large potential customer base. Mittal’s comments underline the investments and preparation that have taken place before commercial launch permissions are finalized.
At the same time, the approval process shows that infrastructure readiness and regulatory authorisation are separate milestones. The government’s stated position is that security and spectrum requirements apply to the relevant operators. The eventual outcome will depend on compliance, final clearances and commercial execution rather than infrastructure readiness alone.
Looking Ahead
The next developments to watch are announcements about final security clearances, spectrum allocation and the dates on which individual operators are authorised to begin services. Any confirmed launch timetable would provide a clearer indication of how the market will develop and which customers can access the services first. Until then, Mittal’s claim of being ahead of Starlink should be understood as a statement about the approval queue, not confirmation that OneWeb is ready to launch commercially.
For India, the larger opportunity is to use satellite connectivity alongside fibre and mobile networks to improve access in underserved locations and strengthen communications resilience. Competition could expand customer choice, but affordability and actual network performance will determine how much the technology changes connectivity in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What did Sunil Bharti Mittal say about Starlink?
Mittal said Bharti was significantly ahead of Starlink in the Indian satellite communications approval queue, citing its earlier application and long-standing infrastructure preparation.
2. Which satellite internet company is associated with Bharti?
Bharti Enterprises is a major shareholder in Eutelsat Group, which operates the Eutelsat OneWeb satellite network.
3. Has Starlink launched commercial services in India?
Starlink has not yet begun commercial satellite internet services in India, according to the reports available as of October 14, 2026. Outstanding regulatory requirements remain.
4. Why does satellite internet need government approval?
Satellite communications use radio spectrum and involve network infrastructure with security implications. Operators must meet applicable licensing, security, technical and spectrum requirements.
5. Is OneWeb ahead of Starlink in India?
Mittal has said Bharti is significantly ahead in the approval queue. However, the government has said the major operators remain subject to outstanding requirements. The statement should not be interpreted as confirmation that OneWeb has received final commercial clearance.
6. Will Starlink or OneWeb make internet cheaper in India?
That remains uncertain. Pricing will depend on equipment costs, subscription plans, service capacity, competition and whether the service is aimed at households, enterprises or telecom operators.
Get the day’s top stories in your inbox
One concise email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
