Indirect fight between Mukesh Ambani and Elon Musk has intensified, Reliance advocated for a spectrum auction to maintain fairness and Elon Musk is pushing for administrative allocation to expedite competition.
The battle for control over satellite spectrum allocation in India is heating up between two of the world’s richest men Mukesh Ambani and Elon Musk. It is on the question of whether satellite broadband spectrum should be auctioned or administratively allocated, wherein both the sides are pushing their preferred approach.
Mukesh Ambani Vs Elon Musk
Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest person and chairman of Reliance Industries, is calling for the auctioning of satellite spectrum in India. In a letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Ambani argued that the administrative allocation of spectrum, without an auction process, was “incorrectly concluded.” He believes that auctions are necessary to ensure fairness and a level playing field in the industry.
On the other side, global players like Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper are supporting the administrative allocation of spectrum. This method would allow multiple operators to share spectrum, potentially leading to more efficient use of resources and better competition. It will also help the consumers by avoiding the high prices associated with auctioned spectrum.
Reliance’s Lobbying For Spectrum
According to the report of Outlook business, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance has been actively lobbying India’s telecom minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, to revisit the spectrum allocation process. In a private letter to the minister, Reliance accused TRAI of prematurely deciding in favor of administrative allocation without sufficient evidence. According to Kapoor Singh Guliani, Reliance’s senior regulatory affairs official, TRAI has not justified its decision to avoid an auction process.
The telecom regulator, however, maintains that all procedures have been followed correctly. TRAI has stated that Reliance is free to offer feedback during the ongoing public consultation period, and it will base its final recommendations on these consultations. Ultimately, the government will make the final decision based on TRAI’s recommendations.
Elon Musk Eager To Enter In Indian Market
While the regulatory debate continues, Elon Musk’s Starlink remains eager to enter India’s telecom market. Starlink believes that offering spectrum licenses without an auction is consistent with international trends, allowing faster deployment of satellite broadband services. However, the outcome of the spectrum allocation process will play a critical role in shaping how quickly Starlink can establish a foothold in India.