Tesla CEO Elon Musk has escalated his public dispute with billionaire Mukesh Ambani, sarcastically addressing the Reliance Industries chairman as India’s “Prime Minister” and accusing him of protecting his business interests by preventing competition from SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service.
In a post on X on Friday, Musk questioned Ambani’s influence over India’s business and regulatory landscape as Starlink continues to wait for approval to begin commercial operations in the country.
“Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India. Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Musk wrote.
The Tesla CEO argued that Starlink could help bridge India’s digital divide by bringing internet access to underserved communities, creating educational opportunities for children and helping small businesses reach customers around the world.
“There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better,” Musk added.
He also highlighted the service’s role in disaster response, writing, “Also, Starlink has proven to be essential for saving lives during natural disasters throughout the world, when all other communications systems have failed, so you would also be helping save men, women and children throughout India.”
READ: Elon Musk, Rahul Gandhi spar over Ambani’s influence as Starlink faces India launch hurdles (
Musk’s latest remarks follow a series of posts questioning the influence of India’s powerful business groups over Starlink’s entry into the market. Earlier this week, he accused unnamed “oligarchs” of obstructing the service’s launch to protect their commercial interests.
India’s Ministry of Communications rejected the allegations, maintaining that the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications is “fair and non-discriminatory.”
Musk continued his criticism on Thursday by directly questioning Ambani’s influence, asking, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also joined the exchange, responding to Musk’s post with, “Wait till you discover the other guy.”
Musk’s posts have also drawn attention across social media, with influencers, technology professionals and other prominent voices weighing in by resharing his comments on X. The reactions have brought further visibility to the dispute, with users joining the conversation around Ambani’s influence, competition in India’s telecommunications sector and the delays surrounding Starlink’s launch.
Starlink awaits India’s approval
SpaceX has been working to bring Starlink to India for several years. Despite securing key regulatory clearances, the company has yet to receive the final approvals needed to begin commercial operations.
In March 2025, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, announced distribution agreements with SpaceX to bring Starlink to the country once the necessary approvals were in place. The partnerships marked a significant development in the company’s efforts to enter one of the world’s largest internet markets.
However, the launch remains pending as satellite operators undergo additional regulatory and security reviews.
In a statement on Thursday, India’s Ministry of Communications said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators were undergoing security assessments that must be completed before they can receive satellite spectrum.
The ministry said all three companies were at “broadly the same regulatory stage,” pushing back against Musk’s suggestion that Starlink was facing unfair treatment.
Reliance Jio and Airtel are also preparing to expand into satellite internet services. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is seeking to provide satellite connectivity in India.
A battle over India’s satellite internet market
India, with more than a billion internet users, represents a significant growth opportunity for Starlink. However, entering the market also means navigating a competitive telecommunications industry dominated by major players, including Ambani’s Reliance Jio.
READ: Musk accuses ‘certain oligarchs’ of blocking Starlink’s India launch (October 8, 2026)
Reliance Industries operates India’s largest telecom operator and has worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major projects. The group’s position in the country’s telecommunications sector has made it a key player in the debate over how satellite internet services should enter the market.
The dispute between Musk and Ambani also follows an earlier disagreement over how India should allocate spectrum for satellite communications.
SpaceX supported an administrative allocation process, while Reliance Jio pushed for spectrum to be assigned through an auction. New Delhi ultimately chose administrative allocation, a decision that aligned with SpaceX’s preferred approach.
Despite that outcome, Starlink’s commercial launch remains on hold as the company awaits the completion of the required assessments and approvals.
Musk’s latest remarks have brought the dispute into the public spotlight, turning a regulatory and commercial disagreement into a broader confrontation over competition, market access and the influence of India’s largest business groups.