India will not allow monopolies in the satellite communications sector as claims by SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk that vested interests were blocking the company’s entry into the Indian market were countered by Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday.
“Three companies had got satellite communication license – Reliance Jio and Eutelsat OneWeb and Starlink,” Scindia said in a statement in the middle of the controversy. But it will be until the requisite security conditions and other regulatory factors are met by all of them before commercial operations can commence.
“India does not want monopoly anywhere and the Government has taken a technology neutral approach to ensure that the consumers have options of choosing different types of competition in the services that they choose to avail,” said Scindia.
The whole dispute broke out on Thursday when Musk claimed on the social media platform, such powerful sectors were blocking the launch of Starlink direct-to-home (DTH) Internet services in India for carpet-bombing their market. The government denied the claims, saying the system was not discriminatory: that all licensed operators face the same security requirements; and that the system is fair.
Also, Scindia mentioned that Amazon is interested in entering into India’s satellite communications market via its Kuiper project, but agreed it would be required to go through the prescribed licensing process.
The government was on final touch of the pricing structure for satellite communication services, the minister added. The allocation of the spectrum and granting of individual security clearance are still important prerequisites before the licensed operators could begin commercial services.
The issue has rekindled the market, involving competition once again in India’s satellite broadband sector, especially the phase of setting up regulations that would enable satellite broadband services to go live in India for consumers. Musk has complained that the launch is still taking too long, but the government has stated that security compliance and approvals as per rule require time before it operates.