'Every Indian home will have a broadband connection': Akash Ambani on Jio satellite broadband
Ambani said satellite technology would play an important role in expanding the reach of broadband services, particularly in areas where traditional connectivity infrastructure may be difficult to deploy
- Oct 8, 2026,
- Updated Oct 8, 2026 4:34 PM IST
Reliance Jio chairman Akash Ambani on Thursday said the company is making “rapid progress” on its satellite communication plans but stopped short of giving a specific timeline for the launch of its first fleet of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Speaking to Business Today TV on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress 2026, Ambani was asked about Elon Musk’s recent comments on India’s satellite internet market and the government’s response to the allegations.
READ THIS: Elon Musk says Starlink blocked by 'oligarchs' in India: 'You can guess who they are'
Akash Ambani declines comment on Elon Musk remarks
Asked about the controversy surrounding Musk’s comments, Ambani said he had no comment to make on the matter.
“We want to be heads down and deliver value to our Indian consumers,” he said, signalling that Jio’s focus remains on expanding connectivity rather than engaging in the ongoing debate.
The remarks come as satellite broadband is emerging as a key area of competition in India, with global and domestic players looking to tap the country’s large connectivity market.
Jio making progress on satellite broadband
Ambani said satellite technology would play an important role in expanding the reach of broadband services, particularly in areas where traditional connectivity infrastructure may be difficult to deploy.
“Satellite is one of the technologies. One of the biggest use cases is home broadband,” Ambani said.
He stressed that Jio’s focus is not limited to a future satellite service, but on ensuring that broadband connectivity is available to Indian households today. “Today, we're making sure that every Indian home broadband has a solution that we're able to give. That's not in the future; that is today,” he said.
According to Ambani, satellite connectivity will complement Jio’s existing broadband network and help extend its reach further.
“Satellite is only going to add to, to really extend those boundaries very, very quickly,” he added.
Jio building indigenous satellite technology stack
Ambani also highlighted Jio’s efforts to develop an end-to-end indigenous technology stack for its satellite communication services.
“We're building an end-to-end indigenous stack,” he said, adding that Jio wants its technology to be “on par with or leading the world”. He said the company has followed a similar approach with other technologies it has launched and is now making rapid progress on its satellite communications plans.
ALSO READ: Starlink caution justified, says ISB professor, warns India of 'geopolitical vulnerability'
No launch timeline yet
While Jio has been working towards satellite broadband services, Ambani declined to provide an exact timeline for when the company will launch its first fleet of satellites.
“I don't want to give an exact answer of when we will launch,” he said. However, he reiterated the broader objective behind Jio’s satellite ambitions: expanding broadband access across India.
“What we're promising is that every Indian home will have a broadband connection that they can connect to,” Ambani said.
Reliance Jio chairman Akash Ambani on Thursday said the company is making “rapid progress” on its satellite communication plans but stopped short of giving a specific timeline for the launch of its first fleet of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
Speaking to Business Today TV on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress 2026, Ambani was asked about Elon Musk’s recent comments on India’s satellite internet market and the government’s response to the allegations.
READ THIS: Elon Musk says Starlink blocked by 'oligarchs' in India: 'You can guess who they are'
Akash Ambani declines comment on Elon Musk remarks
Asked about the controversy surrounding Musk’s comments, Ambani said he had no comment to make on the matter.
“We want to be heads down and deliver value to our Indian consumers,” he said, signalling that Jio’s focus remains on expanding connectivity rather than engaging in the ongoing debate.
The remarks come as satellite broadband is emerging as a key area of competition in India, with global and domestic players looking to tap the country’s large connectivity market.
Jio making progress on satellite broadband
Ambani said satellite technology would play an important role in expanding the reach of broadband services, particularly in areas where traditional connectivity infrastructure may be difficult to deploy.
“Satellite is one of the technologies. One of the biggest use cases is home broadband,” Ambani said.
He stressed that Jio’s focus is not limited to a future satellite service, but on ensuring that broadband connectivity is available to Indian households today. “Today, we're making sure that every Indian home broadband has a solution that we're able to give. That's not in the future; that is today,” he said.
According to Ambani, satellite connectivity will complement Jio’s existing broadband network and help extend its reach further.
“Satellite is only going to add to, to really extend those boundaries very, very quickly,” he added.
Jio building indigenous satellite technology stack
Ambani also highlighted Jio’s efforts to develop an end-to-end indigenous technology stack for its satellite communication services.
“We're building an end-to-end indigenous stack,” he said, adding that Jio wants its technology to be “on par with or leading the world”. He said the company has followed a similar approach with other technologies it has launched and is now making rapid progress on its satellite communications plans.
ALSO READ: Starlink caution justified, says ISB professor, warns India of 'geopolitical vulnerability'
No launch timeline yet
While Jio has been working towards satellite broadband services, Ambani declined to provide an exact timeline for when the company will launch its first fleet of satellites.
“I don't want to give an exact answer of when we will launch,” he said. However, he reiterated the broader objective behind Jio’s satellite ambitions: expanding broadband access across India.
“What we're promising is that every Indian home will have a broadband connection that they can connect to,” Ambani said.