Reliance Jio Is Building India's Own 1,650-Satellite Network To Take On Starlink

India has never had a home-grown low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and Reliance Jio wants to change that.

The Mukesh Ambani-led telecom giant has submitted a proposal to the space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to build and launch a constellation of 1,600 to 1,650 satellites at an altitude of around 650 kilometres.

The plan, if it goes ahead, would put Jio in direct competition with Elon Musk's Starlink in the segment it currently dominates with roughly 10,000 satellites already in orbit.

What Jio Is Planning

• Constellation size: 1,600 to 1,650 satellites.

• Orbital altitude: Approximately 650 kilometres.

• Timeline: Two to three years to build and launch.

• Services: Broadband and direct-to-device connectivity.

• Investment required: $10 to $15 billion, or roughly ₹95,000 to ₹1,41,500 crore.

• Potential capacity: Several terabits, depending on satellite architecture.

• Regulatory status: Proposal submitted to Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, evaluation ongoing.

• Corporate structure: Satellite unit to sit within Jio Platforms alongside other digital assets.

Who Jio Is Up Against

The low Earth orbit satellite space is already getting crowded:

• Starlink: Around 10,000 satellites in orbit, the clear global leader.

• Amazon Leo: Over 300 satellites launched with around 3,200 planned.

• Eutelsat OneWeb: Approximately 654 satellites in orbit, with Bharti Group as second-largest shareholder.

• SES: Jio has an existing joint venture but SES operates in geostationary and medium Earth orbits, not low Earth orbit.

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Why The Government Is Getting Behind It

Countries worldwide have grown increasingly uncomfortable depending on foreign-owned satellite infrastructure for critical connectivity, and India is no different. Starlink, Amazon Leo and Eutelsat OneWeb are all foreign entities operating or planning to operate in Indian airspace.

An official familiar with the matter said the government is looking to help Jio secure orbital slots through International Telecommunication Union filings, and will extend the same support to other Indian entities that want to enter the segment. Getting slots registered under an Indian entity rather than relying on foreign filings is a strategic priority in itself.

Sources:

Economic Times