Tech3 | Jio dials Starlink after Airtel; Indian IT firms brace for tariff war impact; and more

Scoop confirmed: Binny Bansal launches Opptra to scale consumer brands across Asia

One quick thing: RBI sets the ball rolling for self-regulatory body for account aggregators?

In today’s newsletter:

• Now, Jio dials Starlink after Airtel
• Indian IT firms brace for tariff war impact
• Why Nielsen's Karthik Rao is betting big on India

P.S.: Introducing the Tech3 Podcast, your daily dose of tech and startup insights. Monday to Friday! Check it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Now, Jio dials Starlink after Airtel

Elon Musk's Starlink, once a lone wolf eyeing India, is now playing the partnership game.?

• Previously, Musk's satellite internet venture was even compelled to refund all pre-orders pending the acquisition of operational licenses within the country

Driving the news: Just a day after rival Airtel inked a deal, Jio Platforms announced its own pact with SpaceX to bring Starlink's satellite internet to India.

• Jio and SpaceX will explore ways Starlink can complement Jio’s existing broadband offerings, including JioFiber and JioAirFiber.

• Jio will offer Starlink solutions through retail outlets and online stores, setting up customer service for installation and activation.

Also read: Sunil Mittal on Starlink partnership: SAT-G will be as integral to Connectivity as 4G, 5G, and 6G?

Between the lines: Regulatory approvals remain a major hurdle, as the Indian space regulator (IN-SPACe) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have yet to clear Starlink’s operations.

• Starlink has agreed to meet India’s data localisation and security requirements, which were a sticking point in the past

Also read: Jio, Airtel deals could accelerate Starlink’s regulatory approvals in India

A growing battlefield: Starlink operates a fleet of over 6,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. However, competition is heating up.

• Amazon’s Kuiper project is gearing up to deploy 3,236 satellites starting in early 2025

• Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio’s joint venture with SES have already secured key licenses

IN-SPACe projects that India’s space economy will grow to $44 billion by 2033, capturing 8% of the global market share, up from its current 2%.

(Here’s a detailed breakdown of how satellite communication is set to reshape India’s telecom industry)

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