Musk Promises Affordable Starlink in India, Takes Aim at Ambani Days Before Record Jio IPO

Elon Musk said Starlink will be priced affordably in India, directly challenging Mukesh Ambani’s low-cost Reliance Jio just days before Jio’s parent company launches the country’s biggest IPO ever. Jio Platforms is aiming for a valuation of about $106 billion. Musk gave no price figures for India, where mobile data costs roughly 8 cents per gigabyte, among the cheapest in the world. In a Saturday post on X, he said no one will buy Starlink if it is too expensive, so SpaceX must keep pricing affordable.

Musk Says Competition Helps Indian Consumers

Musk argued that competition gives ordinary Indians more choice, adding that Ambani’s profits would fall but he would not go out of business. Cheap data is the strategy that built Jio, and Musk has used similar tactics elsewhere, including Kenya, to shake up local telecom players.

Starlink and Jio Await Security Clearance

Musk has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and Ambani of delaying Starlink’s entry to favor market leader Jio, even addressing Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” on Friday. India denies any bias, noting that three satellite ventures, including Starlink and Jio’s own, are all waiting for final security clearance. Reliance did not respond to requests for comment.

SpaceX also plans to become a mobile carrier itself, starting in the US, a shift that makes the clash with Jio’s parent more significant.