Jio to take on Starlink: Akash Ambani makes major announcement about delivering internet across India via 1,650 satellites..

After establishing its dominance in the Indian telecom sector on the ground, Reliance Jio is now fully prepared to provide internet connectivity from the sky. At Reliance Industries' 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Jio's Managing Director Akash Ambani announced that the company is working on plans to build its own indigenous satellite network.

**Internet to Reach Remote Areas**
Currently, the satellite internet (Satcom) market is dominated by foreign companies like Elon Musk's Starlink and the French operator Eutelsat. Jio is now entering this market.

Akash Ambani stated, "Jio has connected India on the ground; now we must connect India from the sky. Even today, there are many remote villages, islands, and border outposts that Jio's terrestrial network cannot reach. Satellite connectivity will serve as a bridge for them."

**Mega Plan for 1,650 Satellites**
According to sources, Jio has proposed setting up a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network comprising 1,650 satellites to India's space regulator, IN-SPACe. The company's satellite division (Jio Satellite Communications) already holds a license to provide satellite services.

**What is Jio's Dual Strategy?**
Jio is approaching this project in two ways:

*   **For Immediate Service:** Jio is currently partnering with global satellite companies to lease their satellite capacity and launch services in India as soon as possible.
*   **Preparing for the Future:** Simultaneously, the company is developing its own indigenous satellite network to meet India's long-term connectivity needs.

**Data Security and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India)**
The Indian government has harbored concerns regarding data security when using satellites owned by foreign companies, as control over these systems rests with those foreign entities. To address this, Jio is building its own ground station infrastructure within India. Akash Ambani stated that this move would further strengthen India's self-reliance in the space sector and place the country firmly on the global satellite broadband map.

**Major updates on 5G and 6G**
In addition to satellite-related developments, Akash Ambani shared statistics regarding Jio's mobile network:

**Largest 5G Network:** Jio's 5G user base has crossed the 268 million (26.8 crore) mark. This represents the largest 5G user base in any country outside China.

**Total Subscribers:** Jio leads the Indian market with 524 million (52.4 crore) users.

**Future Goal:** Akash Ambani stated that the company aims to migrate all its users to 5G by 2030. Furthermore, the company is working towards making India a leader in 6G technology.

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