Airtel Continues To Seek Fair Satellite Pricing After Striking Surprise Starlink Deal

Bharti Airtel Ltd will continue to press for a level playing field on satellite pricing, according to people familiar with the matter, as the telecom operator announced a partnership on Tuesday with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India in a surprise move, marking a shift from its earlier stance on foreign satellite players.

Airtel will use Starlink's low-earth orbit satellite connectivity, in addition to its existing partnership with OneWeb, to extend its nationwide coverage and connect areas that previously had limited access.

The final clearances, license authorisations for the both alliances in the works and Airtel will to pitch for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, the people told NDTV Profit on the condition of anonymity.

Historically, both Airtel and Reliance Jio have resisted the entry of foreign satellite providers like Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper into the Indian market. Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal had previously urged the government to impose the same legal requirements on satellite operators as traditional telecom companies, including license fees and spectrum acquisition. Reliance Jio echoed this call for regulatory parity.

However, speaking at the Mobile World Congress, Mittal indicated a change in approach, advocating collaboration between telecom companies and satellite providers, saying, “This is no time to fight,” highlighting the growing competition in the satellite internet market and the potential benefits of partnerships.

In November 2024, Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea clashed with Starlink and Amazon over spectrum allocation, demanding auctions instead of administrative allocation. By February 2025, telecom operators intensified lobbying efforts, accusing TRAI of favouring satellite operators and calling for equal pricing.

The debate has continued as India’s new telecom law now permits administrative allocation of satellite spectrum for a fee, diverging from the auction-based model for terrestrial spectrum. While this benefits players like Starlink, TRAI is still finalising pricing and allocation frameworks, leaving industry stakeholders awaiting a final decision.