Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, has responded to Elon Musk's allegations regarding his satellite communications company, Starlink, being blocked in India. Mittal stated that his own satcom venture, Eutelsat OneWeb, is also awaiting the necessary approvals to commence operations.
Background on Allegations
On Wednesday, Musk claimed that "certain oligarchs" are obstructing Starlink's entry into the Indian market to preserve their monopoly. While he did not name any specific company, he suggested, "You can guess who they are." Currently, India's telecom market consists of three private players: Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. The competition includes Musk-led Starlink, Jio Satcom, and Eutelsat OneWeb, all vying to launch satellite services in the country.
Regulatory Landscape
The Indian government has granted licenses to these three satellite communications companies to initiate operations. However, all companies must secure spectrum and security clearance before they can begin providing services. When asked about Musk's claims, Mittal remarked at the India Mobile Congress:
“"We are waiting for our own approvals."
