Musk Escalates Criticism of Ambani as Starlink India Launch Stalls

Elon Musk has intensified his public criticism of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani amidst ongoing delays in launching SpaceX’s Starlink service in India. On Friday, Musk took to X to describe Ambani as the country’s “prime minister,” alleging that the Reliance Industries chairperson exerts excessive influence over the government and is actively obstructing Starlink’s entry to protect his own telecommunications monopoly.

In his post, Musk argued that Starlink could provide critical internet connectivity to underserved regions, enhance educational opportunities for children, and assist small businesses in reaching global markets. He posed a direct question to Ambani: “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Musk’s remarks follow a series of accusations made earlier this week, where he claimed that unnamed “oligarchs” were impeding Starlink’s launch to safeguard their commercial interests. In response, India’s Ministry of Communications dismissed these allegations, asserting that the nation’s regulatory framework for satellite communications is “fair and non-discriminatory.”

The Indian government clarified on Thursday that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are currently undergoing security assessments required before satellite spectrum can be allocated. The ministry emphasized that all three companies are at “broadly the same regulatory stage,” rejecting the notion that Starlink is being singled out. Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia further pushed back against Musk’s claims on Friday, stating firmly that India “does not allow a monopoly in any sector.”

SpaceX has been attempting to establish a foothold in the Indian market for several years. Last year, the company entered into distribution agreements with Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, to offer Starlink services once regulatory approvals were secured. Despite obtaining key clearances, Starlink has not yet received the final go-ahead for commercial operations in New Delhi.

Competition in the satellite internet space is heating up, with both Jio and Airtel also seeking to launch their own services. Jio operates a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is working toward providing satellite connectivity in the region.

India represents a significant market for Musk, given its population of over a billion internet users. However, expanding business interests there involves navigating complex relationships with powerful figures like Ambani, whose conglomerate collaborates with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on various major projects.

Beyond telecommunications, Musk has encountered challenges with Tesla’s expansion in India. Although the electric vehicle maker finally entered the market last year after years of anticipation, it recorded only 699 vehicle deliveries in its first twelve months, according to data cited by Electrek. High import duties initially priced the Model Y at nearly double its U.S. cost. While Tesla reduced prices earlier this year, its vehicles remain considerably more expensive in India than in the United States.

The dispute between Starlink and Reliance Jio previously extended to spectrum allocation methodologies. SpaceX advocated for an administrative assignment process, whereas Jio favored an auction system. Ultimately, New Delhi opted for the administrative approach, allocating spectrum to Starlink and other licensees accordingly.