Elon Musk escalated his public criticism of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani on X, mockingly referring to the Indian billionaire as the nation’s “prime minister” and alleging that he is preventing SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service from entering the market.
Musk’s public accusations
In a Friday post, Musk argued that Starlink could bring connectivity to unserved regions, expand educational opportunities for children, and enable small businesses to reach global customers. He wrote, “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” The comment followed earlier remarks accusing unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking the service.
Regulatory backdrop
India’s Ministry of Communications rejected Musk’s insinuations, stating that the country’s satellite‑communication framework is “fair and non‑discriminatory.” In a Thursday statement the ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments required before spectrum allocation, and that all three are at “broadly the same regulatory stage.” The ministry’s response directly counters Musk’s claim that Starlink is being singled out.
SpaceX has been pursuing an Indian launch for several years. Last year it signed distribution agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, the nation’s second‑largest telecom operator, to roll out the service once regulatory approvals were secured. Despite obtaining key clearances, Starlink has not yet received final permission from New Delhi to commence commercial operations.
Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Ambani’s conglomerate, did not immediately comment on Musk’s latest post. Meanwhile, other Indian operators are also positioning themselves in the satellite‑internet space: Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg‑based SES, and Airtel holds a significant stake in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is working to provide satellite connectivity in India.
Broader business context
India, with over a billion internet users, represents a critical market for Musk’s ventures. Yet the country’s business environment involves powerful domestic figures such as Ambani, whose Reliance group controls the nation’s largest telecom network and collaborates closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major projects.
Parallel to the Starlink saga, Musk’s electric‑vehicle company Tesla has encountered obstacles expanding in India. After launching last year, Tesla recorded only 699 vehicle registrations in its first twelve months, according to data cited by Electrek. High import duties pushed the Model Y’s price to nearly double its U.S. cost, and even after a price reduction earlier this year, Tesla’s vehicles remain considerably more expensive than in the United States.
The dispute over satellite spectrum allocation also featured Starlink and Reliance Jio. SpaceX advocated for an administrative allocation process, whereas Jio preferred an auction. New Delhi ultimately proceeded with an administrative allocation, allowing Starlink to move forward in the regulatory pipeline.
India’s telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia responded to Musk’s allegations on Friday, emphasizing that the country “does not allow a monopoly in any sector.” His comment underscored the ministry’s stance that the regulatory process applies uniformly to all operators seeking satellite spectrum.
As negotiations continue, Starlink’s launch remains in limbo, while Musk’s public attacks on Ambani highlight the friction between global tech firms and entrenched domestic conglomerates in one of the world’s largest telecom markets.
Mitchell Landsberg is a Senior Technology Correspondent at News Raise. He covers consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, software developments, and digital privacy trends.
