Elon Musk has directly questioned billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s influence over India’s telecom sector as the dispute surrounding Starlink’s delayed launch
continues to grow. The SpaceX founder took to X on Thursday, October 8, asking why his satellite internet company was still unable to start commercial services in India after spending five years meeting regulatory requirements. Musk went a step further, questioning whether Ambani was effectively calling the shots in the country.
The latest remarks came hours after the Indian government rejected Musk’s earlier allegations that unnamed “oligarchs” were blocking Starlink’s entry to protect their hold over consumers. The Ministry of Communications maintained that India’s satellite communication approval process was fair and that all licensed operators were undergoing security assessments. The exchange has brought fresh attention to the growing competition between Starlink, Reliance Jio and Bharti-backed satellite internet services.
Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license?
Is Ambani the real boss of India?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 8, 2026
Elon Musk asks if Mukesh Ambani is the real boss of India
In a post on X, Musk wrote, “Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license?”
He then asked, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”
Musk’s statement came in response to a post by technology industry professional Gagandeep Singh Sapra, who claimed he had seen Starlink’s files awaiting comments at Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).
The remarks represent an escalation from Musk’s earlier comments, in which he accused unnamed business interests of obstructing Starlink’s India launch.
Read more: Who is blocking Starlink in India? Elon Musk says ‘oligarchs …
Indian government rejects allegations of unfair treatment
The Ministry of Communications responded to Musk’s earlier accusations on Thursday, describing suggestions of discriminatory treatment as “baseless and misconceived”.
According to the ministry, three satellite communication operators have received licences and are currently undergoing security checks.
These assessments must be completed before companies can seek spectrum allocation, which is required to provide satellite connectivity.
The government said all three operators were at broadly the same regulatory stage.
Read more: Jio takes on Starlink? Plans 1,600 satellites to connect 6 lakh Indian villages
Why is Starlink still waiting to launch in India?
Starlink has already received a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite licence and authorisation from IN-SPACe. The company has been preparing to enter India for several years.
The remaining steps include completing security requirements and obtaining spectrum allocation.
Musk has argued that Starlink could improve connectivity in villages and remote areas with poor mobile coverage.
India’s satellite internet sector is attracting growing interest from telecom operators. Reliance Jio is pursuing satellite services, and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb is preparing its own offerings.
Interestingly, Jio and Airtel had signed separate agreements with SpaceX in 2025 to distribute Starlink equipment and services in India.
