Starlink: Why Elon Musk is taking over Mukesh Ambani and Jio over satellite tv for pc web
Elon Musk has questioned whether or not billionaire Mukesh Ambani is the “actual boss of India” as his satellite tv for pc web firm Starlink struggles to safe remaining approval to launch within the nation.
The comment got here a day after Musk accused unnamed highly effective commerce pursuits of making an attempt to dam Starlink’s entry into India. He then singled out Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate owns Jio, India’s largest cell community operator.
India has rejected Musk’s allegations, saying its satellite tv for pc communications guidelines are honest and non-discriminatory.
Ambani and Reliance Group haven’t responded to Musk’s remarks. The BBC has reached out to them for remark
The row comes as competitors grows in India’s satellite tv for pc web market, with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel additionally getting ready to launch companies.
The rivalry is sophisticated by the truth that Starlink has additionally partnered with Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
In March 2025, each firms signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink tools and companies in India, topic to authorities approval. The firms additionally stated they might discover sharing community roads. The BBC has additionally reached out to Bharti Airtel for remark.
Musk first made the allegations on Wednesday, accusing “sure oligarchs” of sustaining a “monopolistic chokehold” on Indian customers.
“You can guess who they’re,” he wrote on X, external, including that blocking Starlink was “against the law in opposition to the individuals of India”.
On Thursday, India’s Ministry of Communications responded, saying that three operators – Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications – had been at broadly the identical stage of the approval course of, with all three awaiting safety clearances and spectrum allocation earlier than they will launch business companies.
“The suggestion that the framework or its utility is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived,” the ministry stated, with out naming Musk instantly.
Musk continued to query the delay, saying Starlink was already licensed in additional than 165 nations.
“Starlink is licensed in over 165 nations and has spent 5 years complying with each single legislation and requirement of the federal government of India, so why nonetheless no license? Is Ambani the true boss of India?” he wrote on X on Thursday.
Starlink, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, makes use of satellites in low Earth orbit to supply web entry, significantly in distant areas the place cell networks and broadband cables are tough or costly to put in.
The firm has been making an attempt to enter India since 2021 and has secured key licences. But it nonetheless wants remaining safety clearances and spectrum allocation earlier than it might start business companies.
