Elon Musk Questions Ambani’s Influence Over Starlink India Launch Delays

Elon Musk has publicly questioned billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s influence in India as SpaceX continues waiting for final approval to launch its Starlink satellite internet service. The dispute intensified after Indian authorities rejected Musk’s allegations that powerful business interests were obstructing the company’s entry into the country.

In a series of posts on X, Musk accused unnamed business leaders of attempting to protect their dominance of India’s telecommunications market. He offered no evidence identifying who was responsible but argued that delaying Starlink was depriving underserved communities of affordable, high-speed internet access.

Musk subsequently questioned Ambani’s influence, asking whether the Reliance Industries chairman was the “real boss of India.” His remarks followed complaints that Starlink had spent years meeting regulatory requirements without receiving permission to begin commercial operations.

India Rejects Musk’s Claims Over Starlink Approval

India’s Ministry of Communications disputed the accusations, maintaining that its satellite communications approval process is fair and applies equally to competing operators. In its official response, the ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators were at broadly comparable stages of regulatory clearance.

According to the ministry, all three companies must complete security assessments before the ministry can allocate satellite spectrum. These requirements remain outstanding despite earlier regulatory approvals, leaving Starlink without a confirmed commercial launch date.

Musk has continued to challenge the delays, arguing that Starlink has already spent more than five years meeting India’s requirements. The company has secured key permissions, but those approvals do not remove the remaining security and spectrum conditions.

Starlink Says Its Indian Infrastructure Is Ready

Starlink has continued preparing for operations in India, one of the world’s largest internet markets, with more than a billion internet subscribers. The company has established a local team and appointed former Payoneer executive Prabhakar Jayakumar to oversee its Indian operations.

At India Mobile Congress in New Delhi, Starlink Vice President of Business Operations Lauren Dreyer reaffirmed the company’s commitment to India. She said Starlink was ready to serve the market and support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of expanding connectivity nationwide.

Starlink says its preparations include more than 20 gateway sites and hundreds of ground antennas across India. The company also says it has adapted its systems to comply with domestic security, regulatory and data-sovereignty requirements.

SpaceX has presented Starlink as a service that would complement existing mobile and fixed-line networks, particularly in areas where conventional broadband infrastructure is limited. Musk has repeatedly emphasised this connectivity argument while criticising the obstacles to launching the service.

Reliance Jio and Airtel Are Both Partners and Competitors

Starlink’s relationship with India’s established telecom operators is complicated by competing satellite broadband ambitions. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel agreed in 2025 to distribute Starlink services in India, even as both companies pursued their own satellite connectivity businesses.

Reliance Jio is working with satellite operator SES, while Airtel is a major investor in Eutelsat OneWeb. These arrangements place the two telecom companies on both sides of Starlink’s planned market entry, as potential distribution partners and competitors.

The companies have also disagreed over satellite spectrum policy. Starlink supported administrative spectrum allocation, while Reliance Jio previously favoured competitive auctions. India ultimately adopted the administrative approach, aligning with Starlink’s position on how satellite frequencies should be assigned.

Five Years of Efforts Without a Commercial Launch

SpaceX first attempted to introduce Starlink in India in 2021 but encountered regulatory objections after accepting equipment preorders without the necessary licenses. The company refunded those orders in early 2022 after Indian authorities intervened.

Since then, Starlink has obtained additional approvals and expanded its local preparations, but commercial service remains unavailable. Meanwhile, SpaceX has introduced Starlink Mobile in neighbouring Bangladesh, offering satellite connectivity directly to compatible ordinary smartphones.

India’s government maintains that the remaining approval process applies equally to licensed satellite operators. For Starlink, completing the required security assessments and securing spectrum remain the key outstanding steps before commercial operations can begin.