Elon Musk has questioned the influence of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani as his Starlink satellite internet service continues to face regulatory hurdles in India.
Musk’s latest comments have deepened a dispute over Starlink’s delayed entry into the Indian market, after the Indian government rejected his earlier suggestion that powerful business interests were standing in the way of the service’s launch.
On Wednesday, the SpaceX CEO accused unnamed “oligarchs” of preventing Starlink from entering India in order to preserve what he described as their “monopolistic chokehold” over the country’s internet market.
Without naming the individuals or companies he was referring to or providing evidence to support the allegation, Musk described the alleged obstruction as a “crime against the people of India”.
He also argued that Starlink could provide affordable, high-speed internet access to people who currently lack reliable connectivity.
India’s Ministry of Communications responded hours later, rejecting the suggestion that Starlink was being treated unfairly.
The ministry said the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications was “fair and non-discriminatory”, adding that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators were at “broadly the same regulatory stage”.
According to the ministry, all three operators are undergoing security assessments. The companies must complete those assessments before they can proceed to seek spectrum, the radio frequencies required to provide satellite communications services.
Musk escalated his criticism on Thursday by directly questioning Ambani’s influence in India.
“Is Ambani the real boss of India?” he wrote on X.
His post came after he claimed that Starlink had spent years complying with Indian regulations and questioned why the company had still not obtained a licence to begin operations.
Starlink has been seeking to establish a presence in India for more than five years, targeting a market with more than a billion internet subscribers.
Despite the prolonged regulatory process, SpaceX has secured important approvals and entered partnerships with two of India’s biggest telecom companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, in preparation for Starlink’s eventual launch.
SpaceX has also established a local team to oversee its operations in the country. In December, the company appointed former Payoneer executive Prabhakar Jayakumar to lead its India operations.
The dispute comes as Starlink continues preparations for its entry into one of the world’s largest internet markets.
Musk’s latest remarks followed an appearance by Starlink Vice President of Business Operations Lauren Dreyer at the India Mobile Congress, a major telecommunications industry event in New Delhi.
Dreyer reiterated Starlink’s commitment to entering the Indian market during the conference, despite the continuing regulatory process.
