Bharti Airtel's Sunil Mittal says he is significantly ahead of Elon Musk's Starlink in licensing queue

Sunil Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, stated that his company is significantly ahead of Elon Musk's Starlink in the queue for satellite internet services in India. According to Mittal, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has already secured a licence and is awaiting security clearance to commence operations.

Starlink and Reliance Jio's satellite venture Jio Satcom have also obtained licences but similarly remain in the queue for security approvals. The comments highlight the competitive race among global and Indian players to establish satellite-based broadband connectivity in the country.

The satellite internet sector in India is expected to expand significantly, with multiple players now licensed and preparing for operational launch. Bharti's positioning suggests the company is positioned to capture early market share in this emerging segment.