Elon Musk accuses Indian industrial 'oligarchs' of blocking Starlink launch

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has alleged that powerful business interests in India are stalling the launch of Starlink's satellite internet service to maintain a monopoly over the market.

In a series of posts on X, Musk claimed that unnamed "oligarchs" are blocking Starlink to preserve a "monopolistic chokehold" on the country. While Musk did not initially name specific individuals, TechCrunch reported that he later questioned the influence of Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani, asking, "Is Ambani the real boss of India?"

The Indian government has rejected these allegations. The Ministry of Communications issued a statement describing the claims as "baseless and misconceived," asserting that the regulatory framework is fair and non-discriminatory. According to TechCrunch, the ministry noted that Starlink and two other licensed operators are at the same regulatory stage, undergoing necessary security assessments before they can receive spectrum frequencies.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal also dismissed the accusations, according to Online Khabar. Mittal stated that his own satellite venture, Eutelsat OneWeb, is similarly waiting for government approval to begin operations. International noted that Reliance's Jio and Airtel currently dominate more than 80% of India's telecom and internet market.

Despite securing a license last year and establishing partnerships with Jio and Bharti Airtel, Starlink has yet to begin commercial services after five years of effort. Lauren Dreyer, Starlink’s vice president of business operations, told the India Mobile Congress that the company is ready to serve the country and has already established over 20 gateway sites to facilitate connectivity.

Background

Starlink has been attempting to enter the Indian market for more than five years. The company recently appointed former Payoneer executive Prabhakar Jayakumar to lead its local operations as it prepares for an eventual launch.