Elon Musk on Friday intensified the ongoing public controversy regarding Starlink's entry in India.
He taunted industrialist Mukesh Ambani by calling him "Prime Minister Ambani" and accused him of trying to maintain a monopoly. Also, he questioned whether Ambani would consider allowing competition in satellite internet service in India.
This latest comment by Musk on X came just hours after the statement of Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Scindia had said that India does not allow monopoly in any field.
He said that even though there is a lot of discussion about a "particular" company, three companies have received licenses for satellite communication services. These companies can start their services after meeting various security requirements and prescribed standards.
With this post of Musk, the ongoing controversy regarding Starlink's satcom service has intensified. Recently, this American billionaire businessman had alleged that to maintain their dominance in the Indian market, powerful businessmen want to stop his efforts to start services.
In a post on Thursday, Musk had questioned whether "Ambani is the real boss of India".
On Friday evening, Musk increased this controversy further through a new post.
He wrote, "Dear Prime Minister Ambani,
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Please accept my humble apologies for my misunderstanding that you are the real boss of India.
Obviously, you want to continue exploiting the common people of India through monopoly. But would you still consider giving Starlink a chance to compete in India?
There is no internet facility in many areas of India, as is seen in other countries of the world. Because of this, children are deprived of educational opportunities and small businessmen do not get the opportunity to sell their goods in the global market. Starlink can make the lives of these people better.
Thank you."
Ambani and Reliance Group have not reacted to Musk's comments. The BBC has contacted him for comment.
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This controversy has come to light at a time when competition is increasing in India's satellite internet market. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are also preparing to start their services.
The rivalry is further complicated by the fact that Starlink has also partnered with Ambani's Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
In March 2025, the two companies signed an agreement with SpaceX for the distribution of Starlink equipment and services in India, subject to government approval.
The companies also said that they may consider sharing network infrastructure. BBC has also contacted Bharti Airtel for comment in this regard.
Musk first made these allegations on Wednesday, in which he accused "old oligarchs" of tightening the Indian monopolistic stranglehold.
On Thursday, India's communications ministry responded by saying that the three operators, Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, are almost at the same stage of the approval process and all three will have to wait for spectrum allocation along with security clearance before starting services.
Without naming Musk, the ministry said, "It is completely baseless to say that the infrastructure or its use is discriminatory."
Musk questioned the delay, saying that Starlink already has licenses in more than 165 countries.
On Thursday, Musk wrote on
Starlink, owned by Musk's company SpaceX, uses satellites located in low Earth orbit to provide internet access. Especially in remote areas where mobile networks and broadband cabling are difficult or expensive.
This company has been trying to enter India since 2021 and has acquired important licenses. But it still needs final security clearance and spectrum allocation before starting commercial services.
Why is Musk taking confrontation?
The controversy came to light on Wednesday when senior officials of Starlink, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel gathered at the India Mobile Congress held in Delhi, where the three companies discussed their plans for satellite internet services.
Speaking at the event, Reliance Jio Infocomm Chairman and Mukesh Ambani's son Akash Ambani said the company is developing its own satellite communications technology and working towards regulatory approvals.
When asked by a reporter about Musk's allegations, Akash declined to comment and only said, "We want to focus our entire attention on providing better service to our Indian consumers."
Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said that his company's satellite project is also waiting for government approval.
SpaceX executive Lauren Dreyer, who oversees Starlink's commercial operations, said the company has spent years working with Indian regulators and built security controls into its network to meet the country's needs.
Security has been a major concern regarding Starlink's entry in India.
In 2024, Indian officials said they had recovered Starlink equipment during an investigation into drug trafficking in the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands and an army operation in the northeastern state of Manipur.
At the time, Musk said Starlink's service was never active in India, and argued that the devices seized by authorities would not have been using its satellite network.
The question also remains how affordable this service will be for Indian consumers, especially those living in rural areas.
India is one of the world's largest Internet markets, but access is still uneven, especially in remote areas where mobile networks and broadband cabling are difficult or expensive.
Musk argues that Starlink can help bridge this gap.
"Starlink in India will provide high-speed, affordable internet connectivity to those who cannot afford current prices or have no internet connection at all!" he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
The company has not yet announced pricing for India, but some experts say its plans elsewhere indicate the service may be out of reach for many Indian families.
In the US, Starlink's residential plans start at $55 per month, although prices and device costs vary by plan and location.
Please note: The new app is not available in the UK and US.
We used AI to translate this article, which was originally written in English. A BBC journalist checked this translation before publication. Learn more about how we're using AI.
