Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters at the India Mobile Congress 2026 that satellite communications services in India can only begin once the Ministry of Home Affairs has cleared the operator, underscoring that the government does not allow monopolies in any sector.
Scindia explained that three companies—Elon Musk’s Starlink, Reliance Jio’s Jio Satcom, and Bharti‑backed Eutelsat OneWeb—have already secured satcom licences. Each must individually satisfy the security requirements set by the Home Ministry before operations can start. Amazon Kuiper has expressed interest but will need to follow the same procedure.
The minister also addressed allegations made by Musk that Starlink’s services are being blocked by an Indian conglomerate. The government rejected the claim, and Musk later asked on X whether “Ambani is the real boss of India.” Rahul Gandhi responded to the post, indicating support for the allegations. Scindia replied that Congress has no clarity on the matter and that the government’s position remains that all licensed parties must meet security conditions.
On spectrum matters, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended prices for satcom services, and the Digital Communications Commission approved TRAI’s suggestion with minor changes. The Union Cabinet will make the final decision on spectrum allocation. Scindia said a new auction may be held when demand for 5G standalone or future 6G spectrum rises, noting that the last auction in June 2024 raised only Rs 11,340 crore, with 26.5 % of the auctioned spectrum sold.
