'Dear Prime Minister Ambani’: Musk renews attack over Starlink's delayed India launch

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on Friday intensified his public confrontation with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani over delays in the commercial launch of Starlink's satellite internet services in India, sarcastically addressing the industrialist as "Prime Minister Ambani" and accusing him of seeking to protect his market dominance.

In a post on social media platform X, the Tesla and SpaceX chief suggested that Ambani wielded considerable influence over India's telecommunications sector and questioned whether Starlink would be allowed to compete in the country's rapidly expanding internet market.

"Dear Prime Minister Ambani, please accept my humble apologies for not realising that you are the real boss of India," Musk wrote.

He went on to accuse Ambani of attempting to preserve his market position, asking whether he would consider allowing Starlink to compete in India.

The remarks marked a fresh escalation in the dispute, which began earlier this week when Musk alleged that powerful business interests were obstructing Starlink's entry into the Indian market. He has not publicly produced evidence establishing that Ambani or Reliance Industries has interfered with the company's regulatory approvals.

Musk raises digital divide

In his latest post, Musk argued that satellite broadband services could improve connectivity in remote and underserved regions where conventional telecommunications infrastructure remains inadequate.

He said millions of people across the world continued to live without reliable internet access, limiting educational opportunities for children and preventing small businesses from reaching international markets.

Musk maintained that Starlink could help address these gaps by providing high-speed satellite connectivity without depending entirely on conventional mobile towers or extensive fibre-optic networks.

In a separate message, he also highlighted Starlink's role in disaster response, claiming that the service had helped save lives when conventional communication systems failed during natural calamities.

The SpaceX chief suggested that allowing Starlink to begin operations in India would strengthen emergency communications and expand connectivity in geographically difficult regions.

Centre rejects allegations

The fresh attack came after the Union government rejected Musk's earlier allegations that India's satellite communications regulatory framework was being applied unfairly to protect established telecom operators.

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday dismissed suggestions of monopolistic control over the sector, asserting that India did not permit monopolies and that all satellite communication operators were required to comply with the same regulatory and security conditions.

The Ministry of Communications had earlier clarified that India maintained a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for satellite services.

It said three operators — Starlink, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications — had received the relevant satellite communication licences and were undergoing mandatory security assessments.

The government maintained that the companies were at broadly comparable stages of the regulatory process and that spectrum could be assigned once the prescribed security requirements were satisfied.

It described suggestions that the framework was discriminatory as baseless.

Starlink awaiting final clearances

The dispute has brought renewed attention to the regulatory process governing satellite broadband services in India, where Starlink has been preparing for a commercial launch for several years.

Although the company has secured a licence to operate, it must still complete security compliance requirements and obtain spectrum assignment before offering commercial services.

Musk has claimed that Starlink spent five years complying with Indian laws and regulations, questioning why it had not yet received the approvals necessary to launch services.

SpaceX's vice-president for Starlink business operations, Lauren Dreyer, recently said the company had invested in infrastructure designed specifically to meet India's regulatory and security requirements.

She said Starlink had established 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas and developed systems to keep Indian user data within the country.

Competition in satellite broadband

India represents a major potential market for satellite internet providers, particularly in rural and remote regions where conventional broadband connectivity remains limited.

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel dominate the country's mobile telecommunications market, while their associated satellite ventures are among the companies preparing to offer satellite broadband services.

The disagreement has highlighted competing claims over market access and regulatory transparency, with Musk alleging obstruction by established business interests and the government insisting that the approval process applies equally to all operators.

Reliance Jio had not publicly responded to Musk's latest remarks at the time of the reports.

With Starlink still awaiting the final requirements for commercial operations, the controversy has shifted from a regulatory disagreement into a public confrontation involving one of India's most prominent industrialists and the world's leading satellite internet entrepreneur.

Reporting verified against NDTV, Reuters and the Ministry of Communications' reported clarification.