Elon Musk questioned Mukesh Ambani’s influence in India as Starlink’s satellite internet approval remains pending. The October 2026 dispute intensified after Musk alleged regulatory blockades by oligarchs, drawing rejections from Indian officials who maintained that fair security assessments apply equally to all operators.
A high-stakes regulatory delay has erupted into a public clash between the world’s richest man and India’s largest telecommunications networks. Elon Musk publicly questioned whether Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani operates as the real boss of India
after Starlink struggles to secure final approval to launch commercial satellite internet services in the country. The company has been trying to enter India since 2021 and has secured key licences.
Musk Accuses Ambani of Blocking Starlink Approval
The friction began when Musk accused powerful domestic business interests of maintaining a monopolistic chokehold over Indian consumers to keep competitors out. Without naming anyone initially, he posted on X that blocking his company was a crime against the people of India and urged the public to guess who was responsible.
Musk pointed out that Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and questioned why New Delhi had withheld authorization despite five years of compliance efforts. The comments triggered a wave of online discourse, including a brief public exchange where opposition leader Rahul Gandhi weighed in, prompting Musk to reply that the situation was truly concerning.
Ministry Rejects Protectionism Claims
Indian government officials firmly rejected accusations of market protectionism or discriminatory treatment. The Ministry of Communications stated that three independent operators—Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Jio Satellite Communications—sit at broadly the same stage of the regulatory pipeline, awaiting final security checks and spectrum assignment before commercial rollout. Authorizations have been granted by authorities to three satellite internet providers: Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Reliance Jio’s Jio Satcom, and Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Pemmasani elaborated on the administrative bottleneck during the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi, stating that the Department of Telecom has issued licences to all satcom companies as well as provisional spectrum. He clarified that the necessary clearances would be granted once the process was completed, noting that the security verification protocol is standard procedure and applies universally across all applicant companies.
Competitors Gather at Telecom Conference
The public sparring unfolded concurrently with the India Mobile Congress in the national capital, where senior executives from competing satellite and telecommunications firms convened.
Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal confirmed that his enterprise’s satellite venture likewise awaits government sign-offs. Contingent upon official clearance, both entities entered into pacts with SpaceX in March 2025 to bring Starlink gear and offerings to India, while keeping the door open for possible network infrastructure sharing.
High Starlink Costs May Limit Rural Access
Information and technology minister Jyotiraditya Scindia noted that voice prices have crashed and data prices have lowered by almost 97%, which has led to greater penetration. Conversely, outside estimates indicate that Starlink may price its services at Rs 8,600 monthly alongside a one-time equipment fee of Rs 34,000, casting doubt on whether rural populations will be able to afford it.
National security also remains a prominent talking point among Indian authorities. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday went on a rant explaining how Starlink’s satellite internet services will help the least served in India. Circling the globe at speeds ranging from roughly 11,000 km/h to 28,000 km/h, these spacecraft can additionally function as tools for surveilling domestic territory. Indian authorities previously recovered Starlink equipment during a drug-smuggling investigation in the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands and an army operation in the northeastern state of Manipur, though Musk argued that the company’s satellite beams had been switched off over India, making such use impossible within the country.
