Elon Musk intensifies attack on Ambani over Starlink India launch delay

Musk’s public feud with Ambani over Starlink’s Indian rollout

Elon Musk has escalated his public attacks on Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, labeling him the country’s “prime minister” to imply that he holds undue sway over the government and accusing him of obstructing Starlink’s entry. In a Friday post on X, Musk argued that the satellite service could connect remote schools, give children learning opportunities, and help small businesses reach global customers. He wrote:

Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?

Is Ambani the real boss of India?

Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Ambani’s Reliance Industries, has not responded to requests for comment. Musk earlier this week claimed that unnamed “oligarchs” were blocking Starlink to protect their interests. India’s Ministry of Communications dismissed the claim, stating that the regulatory framework for satellite communications is “fair and non-discriminatory.” Despite signing distribution deals last year with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, Starlink has yet to receive final approval for commercial operations in India.

The communications ministry clarified on Thursday that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments required before spectrum allocation. It noted that all three are at “broadly the same regulatory stage,” rejecting Musk’s suggestion that Starlink was being singled out.

Jio is pursuing its own satellite internet venture through a joint venture with Luxembourg‑based SES, while Airtel holds a significant stake in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is also seeking to provide connectivity in India.

India, home to more than a billion internet users, represents a crucial market for Musk’s ventures. However, expanding there requires navigating influential business figures such as Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate controls the nation’s largest telecom operator and collaborates with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major projects.

Musk’s broader ambitions in India have also hit roadblocks with Tesla. The electric carmaker delivered just 699 vehicles in its first year after launching in the country, according to Electrek. Steep import duties pushed the price of the Model Y to nearly twice its U.S. price. Tesla lowered prices earlier this year, but its cars remain considerably more expensive in India than in the United States.

A separate dispute over satellite spectrum allocation previously pitted Starlink against Reliance Jio. Starlink favored an administrative assignment of frequencies, whereas Jio advocated for an auction. New Delhi ultimately chose the administrative route for Starlink.

India’s telecom minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, responded to Musk’s accusations on Friday, stating that the country “does not allow a monopoly in any sector,” underscoring the government’s stance against preferential treatment.