Why does Elon Musk accuse the richest man in India of obstructing the launch of “Starlink” services?

Elon Musk wondered whether billionaire Mukesh Ambani is the "de facto ruler of India", in light of the failure of his satellite Internet company, Starlink, to obtain final approval to launch its services in the country.

This statement came one day after Musk accused influential business interests, which he did not name, of trying to obstruct Starlink's entry into the Indian market. He then singled out Ambani, whose Reliance group owns Jio, India's largest mobile network operator.

India has rejected Musk's claims, asserting that its rules for satellite communications are fair and non-discriminatory.

There was no comment from Ambani or the Reliance Group regarding Musk’s statements, although the BBC contacted them to obtain a response.

This dispute comes at a time when competition is escalating in the satellite Internet market in India, as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are also preparing to launch their services.

The competition is further complicated given that Starlink has already entered into partnerships with Ambani's Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

In March 2025, the two companies signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink equipment and services in India, subject to government approval. The two companies also announced the possibility of studying the option of sharing the network infrastructure.

The BBC has also contacted Bharti Airtel for comment.

Musk made these allegations for the first time on Wednesday, accusing “some oligarchs,” that is, those with economic and political influence, of imposing a “monopolistic stranglehold” on Indian consumers.

“You can guess who they are,” Musk wrote on his “X” platform, adding that obstructing “Starlink” is “a crime against the Indian people.”

The Indian Ministry of Communications responded on Thursday, explaining that three operating companies, namely Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Geo Satellite Communications, have reached very close stages in the approval process, as the three companies must wait to obtain security clearances and allocate frequency spectrum before being able to launch their commercial services.

“The allegation that the regulatory framework or its enforcement mechanism is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and based on a false understanding,” the ministry said, without explicitly naming Musk.

Musk continued to question the reason for the delay, noting that “Starlink” is already licensed to operate in more than 165 countries.

"Starlink has obtained licenses in more than 165 countries and has spent five years complying with all the laws and requirements set by the Indian government. So why has it not received the license yet? Is Ambani the de facto ruler of India?" he wrote on the X platform on Thursday.

Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's company SpaceX, uses satellites in low Earth orbit to provide Internet service, especially in remote areas where it is difficult or expensive to extend mobile phone networks and broadband cables.

The company has been seeking to enter the Indian market since 2021, and has already obtained major licenses, but it still needs to obtain final security approvals and allocation of frequency bands before it can start providing its commercial services.

The controversy erupted on Wednesday as senior executives from Starlink, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel met at the India Mobile Conference in Delhi, where the three companies discussed their plans for satellite internet services.

Speaking at the event, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm and son of Mukesh Ambani, said that the company is developing its own technology for satellite communications and is seeking necessary regulatory approvals.

In response to a question from a journalist about Elon Musk’s allegations, Akash refused to comment, saying only: “We are focusing our efforts entirely on working and providing value to Indian consumers.”

For his part, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bharti Airtel, said that his company's satellite Internet project is also awaiting government approvals.

Lauren Dreyer, a SpaceX executive who oversees Starlink's commercial operations, said the company has spent years working with Indian regulatory authorities and integrated security controls into its network to meet the country's requirements.

Security issues are a major concern regarding Starlink's entry into the Indian market. In 2024, Indian authorities announced the seizure of Starlink equipment during an investigation into a drug smuggling case in the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as during an army operation in the northeastern state of Manipur.

Musk had stated at the time that the Starlink service had never been activated in India, arguing that the equipment seized by the authorities could not have been connected to the company's satellite network.