Jio satellite network: 1,600 LEO satellites proposed
Reliance Jio has proposed a satellite network of around 1,600 low Earth orbit satellites and 23 ground stations across India. Jio presented the proposal at the India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, saying it would extend internet connectivity to remote villages, islands and border areas.
The satellite count and ground stations remain part of a proposal, not an operational network.
What Jio’s satellite network would do
Jio says the proposed system would complement its terrestrial network and form part of a broader coverage plan encompassing more than 600,000 villages. The company intends to develop and operate the constellation domestically, including its engineering, testing and ground infrastructure.
The network could support broadband, direct-to-device calling and connectivity for businesses, remote sites, aviation, maritime operations, government, defence and disaster response. Jio’s proposal also includes ground stations to connect the satellite network with infrastructure on the ground.
Newsletter
The corridor, every morning.
Funding rounds and cross-border capital moves, one email, five minutes.
Jio’s satellite partnerships and regulatory approvals
Jio has a joint venture with SES, while its 2025 agreement with SpaceX envisaged selling Starlink equipment through Jio’s retail and online channels, subject to regulatory approvals.
Jio’s proposed constellation has received a technical assessment, but that did not mean the network was ready for commercial operations. Jio, Starlink and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb were at broadly the same regulatory stage, with security assessments underway.
The regulatory dispute around Starlink
The proposal emerged as Elon Musk criticised unnamed business interests over Starlink’s pending Indian clearances and questioned Mukesh Ambani’s influence. The government said India follows a “fair and non-discriminatory” authorisation process for telecom services, including satellite communications.
“Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are …This is a crime against the people of India!”
More in Market Move
