MUMBAI — Reliance Jio detailed plans on Saturday to build a 1,600-satellite low-Earth-orbit network aimed at delivering broadband to roughly 600,000 Indian villages, intensifying competition with Starlink for the country's rural market. The telecom arm of Reliance Industries said the constellation would complement its existing fibre and 5G infrastructure.

The announcement built on Jio's earlier satellite ambitions, including its joint venture Jio Space Technology with SES. Jio executives said the expanded plan targets remote areas where terrestrial networks remain uneconomical, positioning satellite broadband as a bridge for India's digital divide.

Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has been pursuing its own expansion in India after securing regulatory clearances earlier this year. Both firms must navigate spectrum allocation decisions from India's Department of Telecommunications, which has favoured administrative assignment over auctions for satellite spectrum. Jio had previously lobbied for auction-based allocation before the government ruled otherwise.

Analysts at brokerage firms including Jefferies have predicted satellite broadband could add meaningful subscriber growth for Jio while expanding rural internet access. The Reliance announcement signals that India's largest telecom operator intends to compete directly in a segment Starlink had hoped to lead.

Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani has made digital services the growth engine of his conglomerate since launching Jio in 2016. The satellite push extends that ambition into orbit, setting up a prolonged competition with Musk over who will connect India's most isolated communities.