09 October,2026 01:33 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Elon Musk. File Pic
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has questioned the delay in granting final approvals for his satellite internet service Starlink to begin commercial operations in India, asking whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani is the "real boss of India".
Musk claimed that Starlink had spent five years complying with Indian laws and regulatory requirements but was still awaiting the necessary clearances to launch its services.
The remarks came hours after the government rejected his allegations that powerful business interests were obstructing Starlink's entry into the Indian market to protect their position in the telecom sector.
In a post on X, Musk said, "Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license?"
He followed it with the question, "Is Ambani the real boss of India?"
Musk had earlier accused unnamed "oligarchs" of attempting to block Starlink's entry into the country to maintain their market dominance. He did not initially name any individual or company in those allegations.
The comments have brought renewed attention to competition in India's satellite communications market, where Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb are also pursuing satellite-based services.
The government pushed back against Musk's claims, maintaining that compliance with security requirements is mandatory for all satellite communications service providers.
The Ministry of Communications described suggestions that India's regulatory framework was being applied unfairly or selectively as "baseless and misconceived". It said the approval process was being followed uniformly for licensed operators.
Starlink has secured a licence to provide satellite communications services in India. However, it still needs to complete security assessments and obtain the necessary approvals, including those related to spectrum, before launching commercial operations.
Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said the Department of Telecommunications had issued licences to satellite communications companies and provided provisional spectrum for testing, while security clearance remained pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
"The Department of Telecom has issued licences to all satcom companies as well as provisional spectrum. Now the issue is pending with MHA for security clearance. As soon as it is cleared, they will get it. It has nothing to do with one company," Pemmasani told reporters on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress.
Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has also said his satellite communications venture is awaiting regulatory approvals.
The controversy also drew a response from Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who replied to Musk on X.
"Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy," Gandhi wrote.
Musk responded, "Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling".
