Elon Musk has stepped up his criticism of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani over delays in securing permission to launch Starlink satellite internet services in India. After calling Ambani the country’s “boss” on Thursday, October 8, Musk sarcastically addressed the Reliance Industries chairman as “India’s prime minister.”
In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Musk accused Ambani of trying to keep Starlink out of India to protect his telecommunications empire.
Mocking what he portrayed as a failure to recognise who holds real power in India, Musk wrote: “Dear Prime Minister Ambani, I humbly apologise for not realising that you are the true power in India.” He went on to accuse Ambani of seeking to maintain his dominance in the domestic market rather than allowing competitors a fair opportunity to compete.
“Of course, you would want to maintain your monopoly and continue to exploit the great people of India. Nevertheless, would you consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Musk wrote.
SpaceX’s satellite broadband business has been trying for years to enter India, one of the world’s largest internet markets. Musk questioned why Starlink had yet to receive a licence despite being licensed in more than 165 countries and spending five years working to comply with Indian government laws and requirements.
“Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every Indian government law and requirement, so why is there still no licence?” he asked.
Musk argued that Starlink could connect remote areas beyond the reach of conventional networks, creating educational and business opportunities. He also said the service could provide emergency communications during disasters when other systems fail.
In a post late Friday, Musk said Starlink had proved essential in saving lives during natural disasters around the world when other communication systems became unavailable. He suggested the service could similarly help save the lives of men, women and children across India.
The Indian government, however, has said Starlink must go through the same regulatory process as its competitors. It has described allegations of discriminatory treatment as “baseless and based on a misunderstanding.”
On Friday, Indian Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the country did not permit monopolies in any sector.
Although Starlink has received an initial licence, it still needs security clearances and spectrum allocation before it can begin commercial operations in India.
According to officials familiar with the process, Starlink is at roughly the same stage of approval as Reliance’s Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb, which is backed by Bharti Airtel. At an industry gathering in New Delhi this week, Starlink executives said the company was ready to launch once the necessary preparations on India’s side were complete.
India must consider national security, control over communications infrastructure and the enforcement of its laws on foreign-operated systems when approving satellite networks.
Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, control more than 80% of the country’s mobile and broadband market. Last year, SpaceX signed agreements with both companies to supply Starlink equipment and services in India, subject to government approval. However, both operators also have major plans to expand their own satellite communications businesses.
Reliance is developing Jio’s satellite network through a partnership with Luxembourg-based SES. Bharti Airtel, meanwhile, has a significant investment in Eutelsat OneWeb, one of Starlink’s major global competitors.
The dispute between Musk and Ambani contrasts sharply with Musk’s previously cordial relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following a meeting between Modi and Musk in Washington in February 2025, expectations grew that Tesla would invest in a car factory in India and that Starlink would receive regulatory approval. However, Musk’s other businesses in India have also faced difficulties. Tesla opened its first showroom in Mumbai in July 2025 and began selling imported vehicles, disappointing the Indian government, which had hoped the company would establish a local factory and create jobs.
According to reports, Tesla sold only around 1,000 vehicles during its first 15 months in the country. High import duties have made its cars expensive, while lower-priced manufacturers such as China’s BYD and Vietnam’s VinFast are expanding their presence in India.
Meanwhile, Musk’s social media platform X is involved in legal disputes over government orders to remove online content. Two potential visits by Musk to India, in 2024 and 2025, were also cancelled.
