Satellite Launches
Reliance Industries eyes big entry in satcom space with multibillion-dollar LEO satellite push
Ambani wants a piece of the sky, and he is not waiting around
MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani has set his sights on space. Reliance Industries is considering a multi-billion dollar entry into the satellite communications business, squaring up against Elon Musk’s Starlink, Amazon Leo, and a clutch of other global players, according to people aware of the details.
The satellite arm will sit inside Jio Platforms (JPL), the vehicle that already runs Reliance’s telecom and digital businesses. Six teams have been formed and are working on different aspects of the project, covering satellites, launches, payloads, and user terminals. The focus is squarely on the low earth orbit segment, where the real battle for connectivity dominance is now being fought.
“The company wants to be one of the biggest players in the satellite space, particularly in the low earth orbit segment, which has immense potential,” said a person aware of the details.
Ambani is personally spearheading the initiative. Alongside him, RIL president PK Bhatnagar, JPL chief executive Mathew Oommen, and JPL senior vice president Aayush Bhatnagar are playing key roles. RIL did not respond to queries.
The company has already begun engaging with the department of telecommunications to facilitate the filing of orbital slots at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which allocates orbital slots and radio frequencies for satellites. The urgency is not hard to understand. China has already filed for the placement of 200,000 satellites across multiple LEO constellations at the ITU, and several other countries are racing to secure their positions.
“Work has been taking place on a war footing for the past couple of months with meetings happening with different satellite technology firms that can help in setting up the constellation,” said a second person.
Nothing is off the table. Inorganic options, including acquiring a satellite entity that already holds orbital slots and infrastructure, are actively being considered. Reliance Jio also has an existing partnership with medium earth orbit satellite firm SES. Other rivals in the frame include Eutelsat OneWeb, AST SpaceMobile, and Sateliot. The Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Group is the second largest shareholder in Eutelsat, which is majority owned by the French government.
The move dovetails with the Indian government’s ambition for a domestic presence in the satcom business. Dependence on overseas entities carries security implications, a concern that has sharpened considerably given the role satellite communications is now playing in global conflicts. The government and space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) discussed the feasibility of developing a domestic non-geostationary orbit satellite constellation at a meeting in January. Having its own constellation would give India digital sovereignty, security, data privacy, and the means to protect critical infrastructure and surveillance needs.
“Clarity will emerge in the coming months when all the options are being examined,” said the first person cited. “The company may want to have LEO satellites in place in two to four years, either by organic or inorganic means.”
Talks remain exploratory and no timelines on a launch or the investments involved have been finalised. But in a race where orbital slots are finite, spectrum is contested, and Starlink is already streets ahead, Reliance cannot afford to dawdle.
