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The partnership between Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) and Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink broadband services to India marks a major shift in the country's telecom landscape.

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What makes this deal so interesting is that both Jio and Airtel, who are now collaborating with Starlink, had earlier opposed its entry into India. They had insisted that satellite spectrum should be auctioned like traditional telecom airwaves rather than allocated administratively. But after months of regulatory back-and-forth, they have now aligned with SpaceX, turning a former competitor into an ally.

Starlink has been struggling to get approval in India, facing resistance from the government and telecom giants. Elon Musk himself expressed frustration at the delays, questioning why Starlink was finding it so difficult to enter the Indian market. Yet now, Jio and Airtel have embraced Starlink, with Jio even planning to sell Starlink equipment through its retail stores. The big question is: what changed with the deal?