Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) issued a formal response on Friday regarding SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s recent criticisms of Indian market regulations, declaring that the conglomerate has “never feared competition” and emphasising that all companies must comply with national laws.
The statement follows Musk’s social media outburst targeting New Delhi and Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, alleging that “vested interests” were hindering Starlink’s regulatory approvals.
Dismissing claims of unfair treatment, Reliance highlighted that India’s regulatory framework applies equally to foreign and domestic firms, revealing that Jio’s own satellite services are still awaiting clearance from authorities.
RIL noted that India thrives on openness backed by the rule of law. Pointing to Reliance Jio’s 2016 entry into India’s telecom sector as a newcomer that expanded to over 530 million subscribers, the company asserted that competition serves as the truest test of customer value.
The Ministry of Communications had previously rejected Musk’s claims on Oct 8 as “baseless,” confirming that security evaluations for all satellite broadband entrants remain at similar regulatory stages. Reliance reaffirmed its willingness to compete with Starlink while stressing that every operator, including Jio, must respect the country’s laws and policies.
