A public dispute erupted between the Indian government and Elon Musk after the billionaire renewed criticism of delays affecting Starlink's commercial launch in India.

The row intensified when Musk questioned on X whether Mukesh Ambani was the “real boss of India”, following the government's rejection of claims that Starlink was being unfairly blocked from entering the market.

Musk argued that Starlink operates in more than 165 countries and has spent five years complying with Indian laws and regulatory requirements. He said it was unclear why the company was still unable to begin commercial services despite those efforts.

The Ministry of Communications firmly rejected suggestions of favouritism or discrimination, describing India's telecom and satellite communications approval framework as fair, transparent and non-discriminatory.

According to the government, Starlink, Reliance Jio-backed Jio SATCOM and Bharti-supported Eutelsat OneWeb have all received the necessary licences. However, none of the three companies can launch commercial satellite broadband services until security assessments and spectrum-related approvals are completed.

Officials stressed that security compliance is mandatory for every satellite communications operator. The government said all three licensees are currently at broadly the same regulatory stage and undergoing identical security reviews.

Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani stated that the matter is presently with the Ministry of Home Affairs for security clearance and is not specific to any particular company. He noted that licences and provisional spectrum allocations have already been issued.

The confrontation followed Musk's earlier allegation that “certain oligarchs” were preventing Starlink from operating in India in order to preserve a monopolistic position in the communications sector. Although he did not identify any individual or company, his latest remarks directly referenced Ambani.

Musk also dismissed allegations that Starlink equipment had been used by militants in Manipur. He said Starlink beams remain switched off over India and therefore could not have been used for any activity within the country.

In several social media posts, Musk maintained that Starlink could help close India's connectivity gap by bringing high-speed, lower-cost internet access to remote communities and underserved consumers who either lack reliable broadband coverage or find existing services unaffordable.

The dispute unfolded during the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi, one of the country's most significant telecommunications events, where satellite communications and next-generation connectivity have been key discussion points.

Starlink executives reiterated that the company is operationally prepared to enter the Indian market once the remaining approvals are secured. Lauren Dreyer, Vice-President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, said the company has invested heavily in infrastructure tailored to Indian regulatory and security requirements.

The company has established 20 gateway sites across India, supported by hundreds of antennas. It has also implemented measures designed to keep Indian user data within the country and meet domestic security expectations.

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said that OneWeb is also awaiting similar regulatory clearances, reinforcing the government's argument that all satellite operators remain subject to the same approval process.

Jio Platforms Managing Director Akash Ambani declined to comment on Musk's remarks, saying he had not seen the posts.

The controversy has highlighted the broader regulatory challenges facing satellite broadband providers in India, where authorities are seeking to balance digital inclusion goals with stringent security and data-protection requirements.

Under the existing framework, a licensed satellite operator can progress to spectrum assignment only after successfully completing the prescribed security assessment process. Government officials maintain that Starlink, Jio SATCOM and Eutelsat OneWeb are all moving through the same regulatory pathway.

The outcome of these approvals is expected to shape competition in India's emerging satellite broadband market, a sector viewed as crucial for extending internet access to rural, remote and hard-to-reach regions where traditional telecom infrastructure may be difficult or uneconomical to deploy.

ANI