Elon Musk escalates feud with Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s India rollout

As SpaceX struggles to launch Starlink in India, Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, mockingly referring to him as the country’s “prime minister” to suggest excessive government control and accusing him of blocking the satellite internet service.

On Friday, Musk continued his criticism on X, arguing that Starlink could provide internet access to unconnected regions, offering children greater learning opportunities and enabling small businesses to reach global customers.

He wrote: “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of India’s people, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?”

Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries, has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Musk’s recent remarks follow his earlier accusations this week that unnamed “oligarchs” are blocking Starlink’s launch to protect business interests. India’s Ministry of Communications rejected the claims, stating the country’s satellite communication regulatory framework is “fair and non-discriminatory.” On Thursday, Musk went further, questioning Ambani’s influence with the post: “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”

SpaceX has spent years attempting to launch Starlink in India. Last year, it secured distribution agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, to offer the service pending necessary approvals. However, Starlink has not yet received clearance from New Delhi to begin commercial operations, despite obtaining key regulatory approvals.

In a Thursday statement, India’s communication ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing required security assessments before receiving satellite spectrum. The ministry noted all three are at “broadly the same regulatory stage,” rejecting Musk’s suggestion that Starlink is being singled out.

Jio and Airtel are also pursuing satellite internet services in India. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is working to provide satellite connectivity in the country.

India, the world’s most populous nation with over a billion internet users, is a key market for Musk. However, expanding there requires navigating powerful business figures like Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate owns India’s largest telecom operator and collaborates with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major projects.

Beyond Starlink, Musk has faced challenges expanding Tesla in India. The electric vehicle maker launched in the country last year after years of anticipation but delivered only 699 vehicles in its first 12 months, according to data cited by Electrek. steep import duties pushed the Model Y’s price in India near double its U.S. cost. Tesla lowered prices earlier this year, but its vehicles remain significantly more expensive in India than in the U.S.

Before Musk’s latest attack, Starlink and Reliance Jio clashed over satellite spectrum allocation in India. Musk advocated for administrative assignment, while Jio pushed for an auction. Ultimately, New Delhi approved administrative allocation for Starlink.

Starlink’s India launch remains grounded. Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia pushed back against Musk’s allegations on Friday, stating the country “does not allow a monopoly in any sector.”

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