Jio's space race: Inside the $15-billion plan to counter Musk's Starlink dominance
Beyond commercial competition, Jio’s proposal addresses a critical push for digital sovereignty. Geopolitical friction and conflict zones have highlighted the strategic vulnerability of relying on foreign space networks.
- Jun 19, 2026,
- Updated Jun 19, 2026 1:04 PM IST
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is holding its 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today starting at 2:00 PM IST. Expectations are high that RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani may announce JIO launching its own satellite communications network similar to Elon Musk-owned Starlink.
Reliance Jio is quietly laying the groundwork for what could become India's most ambitious telecom infrastructure project yet, preparing to extend its terrestrial market dominance into the Earth's orbit.
The company is evaluating a massive low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation consisting of 1,600 to 1,650 satellites. Positioned at an altitude of roughly 650 km, the project is designed to deliver both space-based broadband and direct-to-device connectivity.
Check live coverage of RIL AGM 2026 here
Currently under evaluation by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the ambitious venture carries a projected price tag of $10-15 billion and could be executed over the next two to three years.
Entering the global arena
If realised, the network will mark the first large-scale Indian entry into a domain currently dominated by global giants. Elon Musk’s Starlink currently operates the world's largest constellation with about 10,000 satellites in orbit. Amazon Leo is building a multi-thousand satellite system and already operates a few hundred, while the Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has deployed over 600 satellites.
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Beyond commercial competition, Jio’s proposal addresses a critical push for digital sovereignty. Geopolitical friction and conflict zones have highlighted the strategic vulnerability of relying on foreign space networks. The Indian government is likely to support Jio’s filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to secure critical orbital slots for a domestic entity.
Strict data restrictions & Laser-link safety
This domestic push aligns with strict security apprehensions surrounding foreign satellite infrastructure, specifically regarding data routing. The Indian government remains cautious about Starlink's security approvals due to its laser inter-satellite link (LISL) technology, which allows newer-generation satellites to beam data directly to each other in space.
"The laser inter-satellite link (LISL) tech allows the new generation Starlink satellites to beam data directly to one another in space, forming a mesh network above earth, creating a unique security challenge," a source stated regarding the potential for Indian data to bypass national borders.
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Indian authorities are planning safeguards to prevent domestic traffic from being routed through foreign gateways or hostile jurisdictions before hitting its target.
"The older generation of Starlink satellites don't have the laser link tech," another source noted. "For the newer ones, the laser links are likely to be disabled or heavily restricted for traffic routing involving Indian users."
Remote operations & Geofencing safeguards
Moreover, because SpaceX controls the interlinked satellite system from the United States, it retains the power to manipulate connectivity from afar.
"The tech was widely used during the Ukraine and West Asia wars, wherein the coverage was geofenced and modified by SpaceX remotely," a third source told ET. "Starlink has to programme its routing tables to ensure that any data packet originating from an Indian terminal must downlink to an Indian gateway. It won't be allowed to jump to a foreign gateway."
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Unlike Starlink, competing services planning Indian operations — including Eutelsat OneWeb and the Jio-SES satellite joint venture — do not utilise laser link technology, leaving Starlink uniquely impacted by these impending restrictions. However, security clearances have not yet been granted to any of the three players to officially commence services.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is holding its 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today starting at 2:00 PM IST. Expectations are high that RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani may announce JIO launching its own satellite communications network similar to Elon Musk-owned Starlink.
Reliance Jio is quietly laying the groundwork for what could become India's most ambitious telecom infrastructure project yet, preparing to extend its terrestrial market dominance into the Earth's orbit.
The company is evaluating a massive low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation consisting of 1,600 to 1,650 satellites. Positioned at an altitude of roughly 650 km, the project is designed to deliver both space-based broadband and direct-to-device connectivity.
Check live coverage of RIL AGM 2026 here
Currently under evaluation by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the ambitious venture carries a projected price tag of $10-15 billion and could be executed over the next two to three years.
Entering the global arena
If realised, the network will mark the first large-scale Indian entry into a domain currently dominated by global giants. Elon Musk’s Starlink currently operates the world's largest constellation with about 10,000 satellites in orbit. Amazon Leo is building a multi-thousand satellite system and already operates a few hundred, while the Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has deployed over 600 satellites.
MUST READ | RIL AGM 2026 today: Jio IPO, new energy announcements eyed; timing and how to watch
Beyond commercial competition, Jio’s proposal addresses a critical push for digital sovereignty. Geopolitical friction and conflict zones have highlighted the strategic vulnerability of relying on foreign space networks. The Indian government is likely to support Jio’s filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to secure critical orbital slots for a domestic entity.
Strict data restrictions & Laser-link safety
This domestic push aligns with strict security apprehensions surrounding foreign satellite infrastructure, specifically regarding data routing. The Indian government remains cautious about Starlink's security approvals due to its laser inter-satellite link (LISL) technology, which allows newer-generation satellites to beam data directly to each other in space.
"The laser inter-satellite link (LISL) tech allows the new generation Starlink satellites to beam data directly to one another in space, forming a mesh network above earth, creating a unique security challenge," a source stated regarding the potential for Indian data to bypass national borders.
DON'T MISS | From Jio to AI: Decade of game-changing announcements from Reliance AGMs since 2016
Indian authorities are planning safeguards to prevent domestic traffic from being routed through foreign gateways or hostile jurisdictions before hitting its target.
"The older generation of Starlink satellites don't have the laser link tech," another source noted. "For the newer ones, the laser links are likely to be disabled or heavily restricted for traffic routing involving Indian users."
Remote operations & Geofencing safeguards
Moreover, because SpaceX controls the interlinked satellite system from the United States, it retains the power to manipulate connectivity from afar.
"The tech was widely used during the Ukraine and West Asia wars, wherein the coverage was geofenced and modified by SpaceX remotely," a third source told ET. "Starlink has to programme its routing tables to ensure that any data packet originating from an Indian terminal must downlink to an Indian gateway. It won't be allowed to jump to a foreign gateway."
DO CHECKOUT | Reliance AGM 2026 today: 7 big announcements Mukesh Ambani made at last year's AGM
Unlike Starlink, competing services planning Indian operations — including Eutelsat OneWeb and the Jio-SES satellite joint venture — do not utilise laser link technology, leaving Starlink uniquely impacted by these impending restrictions. However, security clearances have not yet been granted to any of the three players to officially commence services.