Airtel's Sunil Mittal lauds telco-satellite partnership after SpaceX deal

Bharti Enterprises’ Chairperson Sunil Bharti Mittal has welcomed the collaboration between telecom companies and satellite players.

According to ANI report, Mittal called it a major step towards global connectivity. The statement comes after Airtel and Reliance Jio partnered with SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet service to India.

Elaborating further, Mittal stated that the collaboration between telecom and satellite companies will help the customers to ‘stay connected even in the remote parts of the world, including oceans and skies’. Referring to his speech at the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, he said, “In my opening remark at the recently concluded Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, I made a call to both the telecom and the satellite players to work together, combine their strengths, and complete the mission of connecting the unconnected, covering the oceans and the skies as well as difficult to reach areas.”

Expressing his confidence in the industry, Mittal also said that the telecom sector would similarly embrace satellite technology to embrace advancements like 4G and 5G.

The collaboration between the two sectors is likely to ‘bridge the digital divide’ and will be able to provide internet access in areas that were not accessible earlier.

Musk-Ambani feud over Starlink deal

According to a Reuters report, the agreement between Musk’s SpaceX and Ambani’s Jio Platforms comes as a surprise, after the two billionaires locked horns over the allocation of airwaves for internet services. Ultimately, the Central government supported the distribution model proposed by Musk. Reliance had also expressed concerns that the entry of Musk’s satellite internet services could disrupt India’s telecom sector.

Despite these reservations, Jio and SpaceX will be working together. The deal will see Jio offering Starlink’s products in the domestic market while simultaneously competing with them. Additionally, it will provide installation and activation support for Starlink devices.

Under the current deal, Jio will serve as a distribution channel for Starlink’s equipment, making it available in its extensive network of retail stores across the country.

Musk’s Starlink has been awaiting regulatory approval to commence commercial operations in India since 2022. However, the licensing process has faced multiple delays due to security-related concerns. The report suggests that India’s satellite service sector is set to grow 36 per cent a year to $1.9 billion by 2030.