OneWeb claims five‑year‑old application puts it ahead of Starlink

During a discussion at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, Sunil Bharti Mittal, the chief of Bharti Enterprises, stated that OneWeb’s regulatory filing dates back five years, which should give the company priority over SpaceX’s Starlink.

Mittal pointed out that OneWeb’s ground infrastructure was completed three years ago and its constellation has been positioned over India for five years, but the firm still lacks the required operating licence.

He added, “We have been in the approval pipeline for a long time. Being five years early, we expect to be far ahead of other applicants. Securing permission even a few days before Starlink can launch would be beneficial for us.”

These statements surface as Musk’s recent accusations on X claim that some Indian business interests are deliberately slowing Starlink’s entry. The government’s communications ministry dismissed the claims, reassuring that every satellite communication operator is undergoing a transparent, equal‑treatment assessment.