Spectrum Showdown: Musk Versus Indian Telecom Giants

Elon Musk's Starlink is challenging Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal over satellite spectrum allocation. While Indian firms advocate for spectrum auctions, Starlink pushes for administrative allotments in line with global trends. The conflict highlights differing approaches to satellite communication in the burgeoning Indian telecom market.

Elon Musk, through his company Starlink, is taking a stand against Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal over the method for allocating satellite communication spectrum. Musk labeled the Indian telecom giants' call for auctioning this spectrum as "unprecedented," sparking a notable industry debate.

Ambani's Reliance Jio and Mittal's Bharti Airtel advocate for spectrum auctions to maintain fair competition among traditional telecom operators who invest in infrastructure. However, Musk supports aligning with international standards, which favor administrative allocations, a viewpoint partially supported by Indian Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Scindia underscored the government's stance of allocating such spectrum through administrative means, as outlined in the Telecom Act of 2023. This decision aligns India's practices with the global norm, rejecting the auction route and challenging the demands of major Indian telecom players.

(With inputs from agencies.)