Elon Musk Pitches SpaceX's Starlink As An Affordable Option To Bring Internet To Indians Ahead Of Ambani's Jio IPO

Musk said Starlink would have to keep its prices affordable to compete in India, where internet data is already among the cheapest in the world.

• Musk argued that Starlink's prospects in India ultimately come down to whether consumers believe the service is worth paying for.
• The comments come as Starlink awaits final security clearance to begin operating in India, alongside satellite ventures including Jio’s own service.
• Musk argued that Starlink could compete by giving consumers another option, particularly in parts of the country where traditional internet infrastructure remains limited.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SPCX) CEO Elon Musk is stepping up his public push to bring Starlink to India, arguing that the satellite internet service would benefit consumers by giving them an alternative to Reliance Jio, founded by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.

In a post on X, Musk said Starlink would have to keep its prices affordable to compete in India, where internet data is already among the cheapest in the world, while accusing Jio supporters of making contradictory arguments against Starlink’s entry.

SpaceX shares gained more than 1% during the regular trading session on Friday, and rose 0.1% further during after-hours.

Musk Says Starlink Will Have To Be Affordable

Musk argued that Starlink's prospects in India ultimately come down to whether consumers believe the service is worth paying for.

“Obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable,” he said.

The comments come as Starlink awaits final security clearance to begin operating in India, alongside satellite ventures including Jio’s own service. Musk argued that Starlink could compete by giving consumers another option, particularly in parts of the country where traditional internet infrastructure remains limited.

“The reality is that competition would greatly benefit the average citizen in India by giving them more choices, as it always does,” Musk said.

He added that greater competition could reduce Ambani's profits without threatening Jio's business.

Starlink Could Reach Underserved Indians, Says Musk

Beyond the competition with Jio, Musk is also pitching Starlink as a way to connect Indians who remain underserved by traditional broadband and mobile networks.

In another post on X, he pointed to rural and remote areas where a lack of internet access can limit educational opportunities and prevent small businesses from reaching customers outside their local markets.

“There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market,” he added.

Musk also highlighted Starlink's use during natural disasters, when conventional communications infrastructure can fail.

“Starlink has proven to be essential for saving lives during natural disasters throughout the world, when all other communications systems have failed,” Musk noted.

This comes at a time when Reliance Jio’s parent company, Jio Platforms, is preparing to launch its initial public offering, targeting a valuation of about $106 billion, according to a Reuters report, even as Jio's satellite business and Starlink remain in the queue for final security clearance.

The Indian government has denied favoring Jio, saying that Starlink, Jio and another satellite provider are all awaiting the same final security approval.

What Retail Investors Think Of SPCX Stock

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around SpaceX trended in the ‘bullish’ territory at the time of writing.

SPCX stock is up 8% year-to-date. The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) are up 16% over the past 12 months.

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