Elon Musk directed criticism toward Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Thursday, a day after alleging that unnamed “oligarchs” were blocking the deployment of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service in India.
Musk stated that Starlink had not been permitted to launch despite spending five years complying with all local regulations. He asked, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” suggesting that powerful businessmen held a “monopolistic chokehold” on the country’s connectivity market.
Ambani’s Reliance Jio Platforms, along with Bharti Airtel, dominates the Indian telecom sector, controlling approximately 80% of the market. In June, Akash Ambani, managing director of Jio Platforms, announced plans to deploy a low-Earth-orbit satellite network comprising roughly 1,600 satellites and 23 ground stations to expand coverage.
The SpaceX founder’s comments ignited a political response from Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition, who has long argued that the Indian government serves the interests of select wealthy individuals. Gandhi alluded to Gautam Adani, India’s wealthiest person, by telling Musk, “Wait till you meet the other one.” Musk replied, “This is indeed troubling,” referencing Gandhi’s tweet.
Despite signing interim agreements with both Jio Platforms and Airtel in March 2025 to explore cross-selling opportunities, Starlink’s launch has been delayed. Although the service received a license to operate in India last July, Bloomberg reported earlier this year that New Delhi froze approvals due to security concerns regarding unlicensed terminals.
Reliance Industries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Currently, Starlink operates 11,000 satellites providing service across more than 170 countries.
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