Musk accuses Ambani of blocking Starlink in India

Elon Musk has escalated his public attacks on Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, accusing him of blocking Starlink's launch in the country. In a post on X on Friday, Musk mockingly called Ambani the country's "prime minister" and suggested he wields outsized control over the government, TechCrunch reports.

"Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?" Musk wrote, according to the outlet.

India's Ministry of Communications pushed back against the allegations, saying the country's regulatory framework for satellite communications is "fair and non-discriminatory." The ministry added that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments and are at "broadly the same regulatory stage," rejecting Musk's suggestion that Starlink is being singled out.

Starlink has spent years seeking approval to operate commercially in India. Last year, SpaceX struck distribution agreements with Ambani's Reliance Jio and with Bharti Airtel, India's second-largest telecom operator, to offer the service once approvals came through. But New Delhi has not yet given the go-ahead, despite Starlink securing key regulatory clearances, TechCrunch reports.

Spectrum clash

Before Musk's latest attack, Starlink and Reliance Jio clashed over how satellite spectrum should be allocated. Musk's company wanted an administrative assignment, while Jio pushed for an auction. India's government ultimately sided with Starlink and decided to allocate the spectrum administratively.

Both Jio and Airtel are also working to launch their own satellite internet services. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, and Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which aims to offer satellite connectivity in the country.

Tesla struggles too

Musk's challenges in India are not limited to Starlink. Tesla launched there last year but registered only 699 vehicles in its first 12 months, according to data cited by Electrek. Steep import duties pushed the Model Y's launch price to nearly double its U.S. price. Tesla has since lowered prices, but its cars remain considerably more expensive in India than in the U.S.

What it means for consumers

For anyone in India hoping to sign up for Starlink, the wait continues. The service remains unavailable, and the regulatory battle shows no sign of ending soon. India's telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told TechCrunch on Friday that the country "does not allow a monopoly in any sector."

• Elon Musk
• India
• Mukesh Ambani
• Reliance Jio
• satellite internet
• Starlink