Elon Musk put forward the position that Starlink's pricing in India would need to sit within reach of ordinary buyers, noting that unaffordable rates would suppress demand and that a competitive market stood to broaden the options available to consumers. Musk posted the remarks on X as part of a broader message at a moment when Jio Platforms — the digital division of Reliance Industries — was drawing closer to what analysts have anticipated would rank among the largest public offerings in India's history.

In that post, Musk argued that opening the market to more players would deliver tangible benefits to ordinary Indians through expanded choice, a pattern he described as a consistent outcome wherever competition takes hold. Musk noted that while Mukesh Ambani's earnings would take a hit, the business itself was not at risk of folding.

In the same post, Musk directed criticism at Ambani over Starlink's entry into the Indian market, contending that supporters of the billionaire had put forward contradictory arguments — asserting on one hand that his satellite internet service could not match the low prices available through what he characterised as Ambani's near-monopoly position, while at the same time portraying it as a formidable competitive threat. Musk characterised the stance as both contradictory and overstated, and described the arguments advanced by Ambani's online supporters as lacking logical coherence.

The social media post followed a period in which Musk had repeatedly taken issue with Ambani, directing his objections at what Musk described as ongoing holdups in bringing Starlink's satellite broadband network to Indian consumers. No public statement from Reliance addressing Musk's claims has been issued, while officials described the country's framework for authorising telecom and satellite services as operating on equal terms for all parties, dismissing any notion of selective application as without foundation.

Speaking at the India Mobile Congress, Akash Ambani — who chairs Reliance Jio Infocomm — set aside questions about the ongoing satellite communications debate, pointing instead to the company's priority of bringing value to consumers across India.

Three satellite communication licences have been granted to separate operators, the Communications Minister told reporters, with each holder free to begin services once prescribed security requirements and operational milestones are cleared — a structure he said reflects a policy of keeping any single entity from dominating the sector.

Of the four companies pursuing satellite internet authorisation in the market, three — Starlink, Jio Satcom, and Eutelsat OneWeb — have cleared the licensing process, while Amazon's Project Kuiper, which has indicated its intent to participate, remains subject to the same regulatory pathway. Plans at Jio call for a network of over 1,600 satellites in low-Earth orbit, with 23 ground stations providing the supporting infrastructure. The Starlink network, a satellite fleet assembled under SpaceX's management, counts upward of 11,000 individual craft in orbit.

Anchor-round pricing on October 19 sets the stage for Jio Platforms' public share offering, with the subscription window running from October 21 through to October 23. A listing on stock exchanges is anticipated for October 28, though no formal announcement of the timeline has come from the company.

With a projected issue size of USD 3.8 billion, the Jio Platforms float would rank as the largest share offering to have come to market in India. Overseas investor meetings have wrapped up, with the firm set to lodge its final regulatory documents with Sebi in the week of October 12. Sebi's formal observations on the matter were placed on record on 28 August. Draft IPO documentation for Jio Platforms was lodged with regulators in June. The draft prospectus sets out a plan to offer up to 27 crore new equity shares to the public, a tranche that would represent roughly 2.9 per cent of the enlarged share capital once the issue closes.