Starlink still waiting for India launch as Musk criticizes delay
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has sharply criticized the delay in launching Starlink satellite internet in India, accusing backers of Reliance owner Mukesh Ambani of protecting a monopoly. India's government says security assessments for all three licensed satellite operators are still under way.
Elon Musk, chief executive of the space company SpaceX, stepped up his criticism last week over the continued absence of commercial service from his company's Starlink satellite internet in India. On X, he sarcastically called Mukesh Ambani, one of India's richest people and chairman of the conglomerate Reliance Industries, "Prime Minister Ambani" and accused his supporters of protecting a monopoly. Musk argues that Starlink could bring internet access to underserved communities across the country.
Political reaction
Rahul Gandhi, a leader of the opposition Indian National Congress, joined the exchange, writing: "Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy." Musk replied that this was indeed troubling. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Gandhi of championing Musk's interests, while party leaders defended the government's handling of the matter. Akash Ambani, who chairs Reliance Jio and is Mukesh Ambani's eldest son, declined to comment on Musk's remarks and said Jio is developing its own satellite broadband technology.
Licences, but no launch
In 2025, Starlink obtained a satellite communications licence from India's Department of Telecommunications and authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center. It also signed distribution agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. These approvals, however, do not automatically allow commercial operations. India's Ministry of Communications said security assessments for all three licensed operators are under way and that they are at broadly the same regulatory stage. It called allegations of an unfair or discriminatory framework "baseless and misconceived."
Nishikant Dubey, a BJP politician who chairs a parliamentary committee, said on October 11 that the panel had examined Starlink's security challenges, but he did not specify the risks.
Expert views
Economist Lekha Chakrabarty said the issue is not that India is closing its doors to foreign investment, but a lack of transparency over approval criteria and timelines. Former intelligence officer Yashovardhan Jha Azad noted that the government has not publicly detailed which conditions, if any, the company still has to meet.
