Elon Musk has accused powerful business interests of blocking Starlink’s launch in India, directing his criticism at billionaire Mukesh Ambani as the satellite internet company awaits final regulatory clearance.
Writing on X on Thursday, October 8, Musk asked whether Ambani was the “real boss of India.” His allegation that business rivals caused the delay has not been substantiated.
India’s Ministry of Communications rejected claims of unfair treatment. It said Starlink, Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb were all awaiting security assessments and spectrum allocation before launching commercial services.
Ambani’s Reliance owns Jio, India’s largest mobile network operator, which also has satellite broadband ambitions. Starlink’s entry would introduce another competitor into a market where Jio and Bharti Airtel have established strong positions.
The rivalry has a history. Musk and Indian telecom operators previously disagreed over satellite spectrum, with Starlink favouring administrative allocation and Jio advocating auctions to ensure comparable conditions for competitors.
Despite those differences, Jio and Airtel signed separate agreements with SpaceX in March 2025 to offer Starlink services, subject to approval. The arrangements make them potential distribution partners as well as competitors.
Mukesh Ambani had not publicly responded to Musk’s latest remarks in the reporting reviewed. His son, Jio chairman Akash Ambani, declined to address the allegations, saying the company wanted to focus on delivering value to Indian consumers.
For remote communities, satellite broadband could improve access where cables and mobile networks are difficult to install. But Starlink’s Indian pricing remains unannounced, and its launch depends on completing the remaining regulatory requirements.
