Elon Musk has again questioned the delay in Starlink’s commercial launch in India. In a post on X, Musk said Starlink is licensed in more than 165 countries and claimed the company has spent five years complying with every law and requirement of the Indian government.
“Why still no license?” Musk asked while questioning the continued delay in Starlink’s entry into the Indian market. He also posted a pointed question asking, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” The comment appears to refer to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and has added to the ongoing debate over Starlink’s regulatory approval in India.
Musk’s comments come amid a wider dispute over Starlink’s pending commercial launch. Starlink has already received a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications and has also received approval from IN-SPACe. The company has also built infrastructure in India and entered partnerships with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.
However, Starlink has not yet received all the approvals required to begin commercial services. The government said security assessments are currently underway for all three licensed satellite communication operators. It said the companies are broadly at the same regulatory stage and must complete the required security process before moving to spectrum assignment.
The Ministry of Communications rejected claims that India’s satellite communication framework is unfair or discriminatory. In a statement issued on October 8, the government said the regulatory framework applies fairly to all telecommunications services, including satellite communication.
Musk had earlier accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s launch to protect their position in the Indian market. He did not initially name Mukesh Ambani in that accusation, but his latest post directly referred to Ambani. Reuters reported that India’s telecom market is dominated by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, while their satellite ventures, along with Starlink, have received early regulatory approvals and are awaiting further clearances.
The dispute highlights the growing competition around India’s satellite internet market. Starlink says it has invested years in preparing for the Indian market, while the government maintains that the remaining process involves security requirements that apply to all licensed operators.