Elon Musk calls for ‘Fair Competition’ in Indian telecom market amid Starlink licensing discussions

Elon Musk has expressed his support for "fair competition" in the Indian telecom sector, responding to a post shared on X (formerly Twitter). The post highlighted a request from major Indian telecom operators—Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi)—to the government. They are seeking a level playing field in the satellite communications (satcom) sector as India moves forward with licensing and spectrum allocation for Musk’s Starlink service.

In their petition to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the telecom companies urged the government to ensure that satellite operators face comparable spectrum pricing to avoid "market distortions." They argue that satellite services should be held to the same pricing, regulatory levies, and fees as terrestrial telecom providers.

The telecom giants criticized TRAI for not addressing the competitive imbalance between satellite and terrestrial spectrum allocation. They also raised concerns about the impact of low-earth orbit (LEO) mega-constellations, which they claim could distort the competition in broadband services, especially in urban and semi-urban areas.

While the companies acknowledged that satellite spectrum should be allocated at reduced prices for non-competing uses like government functions and disaster recovery, they insist that commercial satellite operators should not receive preferential treatment.

Musk’s reply, “Fair competition would be much appreciated,” came in response to these concerns, reinforcing his stance on a balanced market for all players in the industry.