Orchestrated By PM Himself, But Questions Remain: Congress’ Jairam Ramesh On Starlink’s Deal With Airtel, Jio
Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns over the sudden partnerships between Starlink and India’s telecom giants, Airtel and Jio. He alleged that these deals were orchestrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win favour with former US President Donald Trump by facilitating Starlink’s entry into India. Ramesh stated, “Within literally 12 hours, both Airtel and Jio have announced partnerships with Starlink, seemingly overcoming all their objections to its entry into India, which they have been voicing for quite some time.” He added that while the partnerships may have been politically motivated, critical questions about national security and regulatory fairness remain unanswered.
The announcements from India’s telecom majors have come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Elon Musk in the US weeks ago.
The controversy follows announcements from Airtel and Jio regarding their strategic alliances with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service. Airtel revealed its collaboration on Tuesday, highlighting plans to integrate Starlink’s high-speed broadband into its network. The company aims to use Starlink to extend connectivity to remote areas, educational institutions, and healthcare centres. Airtel’s Vice Chairman Gopal Vittal described the deal as a “significant milestone” in India’s digital expansion, stressing its potential to revolutionise rural internet access. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also expressed enthusiasm, stating that Starlink’s collaboration with Airtel would help bridge India’s digital divide.
The next day, Jio announced a similar partnership with Starlink, pending regulatory approvals. Jio aims to distribute Starlink services through its retail outlets and online platforms while integrating the technology with its existing broadband solutions, JioFiber and JioAirFiber. Jio’s Group CEO Mathew Oommen called the partnership a “transformative milestone” for India’s connectivity landscape, emphasising its role in bringing high-speed internet to underserved regions. Gwynne Shotwell echoed the sentiment, saying SpaceX looked forward to securing government authorisation to expand Starlink’s reach in India.
Despite the ambitious plans, Jairam Ramesh has questioned the implications of these rapid developments. His primary concern is national security, particularly the control over Starlink’s connectivity. He asked, “Who will have the power to switch connectivity on or off when national security demands it? Will it be Starlink or its Indian partners?” He also raised issues of regulatory fairness, questioning whether other satellite-based internet providers would be granted similar opportunities.
Ramesh further linked the deals to broader business interests, pointing out the unresolved status of Tesla’s manufacturing plans in India. He suggested that Starlink’s accelerated entry could be part of a larger negotiation involving Tesla’s production in the country. “Is there some commitment to Tesla manufacturing now that Starlink’s entry into India has been facilitated?” he asked, implying that the government may have struck a behind-the-scenes deal with Elon Musk.
