SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently alleged that powerful business interests had blocked Starlink’s commercial rollout in India. In a post on X, Musk blamed “certain oligarchs” for keeping the satellite internet service out of the country, describing the alleged blockade as a “crime against the people of India.”
He did not initially name any individuals or companies or provide evidence to support the allegation. However, in a follow-up post, he named fellow billionaire Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries.
“Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no licence? Is Ambani the real boss of India?” Musk wrote.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi subsequently joined the exchange, responding to Musk’s post with, “Wait till you discover the other guy.”
READ: Musk accuses ‘certain oligarchs’ of blocking Starlink’s India launch (October 8, 2026)
“Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling,” Musk replied.
Gandhi later posted on his WhatsApp channel, saying that India needed an economy in which businesses could compete fairly without political patronage.
“The Congress party and I are committed to breaking this chain of crony capitalism and building an economy driven by innovation and hard work — not political patronage,” Gandhi said.
He also shared a video montage featuring his exchange with Musk, reiterating his position: “I am not anti-business; I am anti-monopoly.”
Gandhi’s comments drew criticism from political opponents. Indian Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said Friday that India does not allow monopolies in any sector, according to Moneycontrol.
“There is a lot of conversation about one specific company, but three companies have got satcom licences,” Scindia said, adding that satellite communications providers can begin operations only after individually meeting security requirements and other milestones.
READ: Starlink expands in-flight Wi-Fi to 48 airlines (August 18, 2026)
The Indian government also rejected Musk’s allegations, stating that “India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services is fair and non-discriminatory.” It added that “the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived.”
In India, Starlink would enter a market that already includes Eutelsat OneWeb, backed by Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Group, and Reliance Jio Space Technology, backed by Ambani’s Reliance Industries.
Starlink reapplied to India’s space regulator in August for approval to deploy its second-generation satellite constellation, which includes technology designed to enable direct-to-device connectivity.
Last year, Starlink signed agreements with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to expand its services to remote and underserved areas.