A sign from the Indian government that it will choose the allocation route for satellite spectrum instead of the usual auction route has been "appreciated" by US billionaire Elon Musk. 

Soon after, Elon Musk, who plans to introduce his Starlink services in India, praised the hint.

India's Minister of Telecom Jyotiraditya Scindia stated, "If you do decide to auction it, then you will differ on the process from the rest of the world," at a speech in New Delhi.

Recently Reuters reported that Reliance, which owns Indian telecommunication giant Jio, had opposed the Indian telecom regulator’s consultation process which suggested that the satellite broadband spectrum should be allocated, not auctioned.

However, Bharti Airtel, another Indian telecom giant owned by Sunil Mittal, has backed the allocation route. Airtel has long supported the administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, saying it has always backed technologies that help connect remote parts of India.

Musk believes that the spectrum being a natural resource should be shared by companies. He views unresolved spectrum allocation issues in India as a major issue for Starlink. 

The satellite system consists of radio frequencies used for communication and the ITU a UN agency allocates these frequencies for services. India is also a member of ITU and has signed the treaty. 

Musk's emphasis on the satellite market in India suggests that competition is heating up in this lucrative field, which is predicted to grow at a rate of 36% annually to reach $1.9 billion by 2030.