India has rejected claims that its satellite internet approval process is unfair after Elon Musk accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink from launching in the country.
Musk, the billionaire owner of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, made the accusation on X, claiming that unnamed individuals were trying to prevent the service from entering India to protect their dominance of the country’s internet market.
“Starlink was being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people,” Musk wrote.
India’s Ministry of Communications and Telecommunications rejected the allegation, saying the country’s approval process was being applied fairly to all satellite internet operators.
The ministry said three companies were broadly at the same stage of the regulatory process, with security assessments still being carried out.
“The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived,” the ministry said.
The three companies include Musk’s Starlink and satellite internet ventures backed by Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel.
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All three have secured initial approvals to operate satellite internet services in India but are still waiting for spectrum allocation and other final clearances.
Starlink’s entry into India has been delayed for about four years, with authorities raising concerns over security requirements and spectrum access.
The dispute revives an earlier battle between Musk and India’s two biggest telecom billionaires over how satellite spectrum should be allocated.
Musk had previously clashed with Ambani and Mittal over the issue before the sides reached separate agreements in 2025 for Jio and Airtel to distribute Starlink equipment in India.
India represents a major potential market for Starlink, with Deloitte forecasting that the country’s satellite broadband market could reach $1.9 billion by 2030.
The dispute also comes as the United States continues to push for greater market access for Starlink as part of its trade discussions with India.
Security concerns have further complicated Starlink’s rollout. Indian authorities said Starlink equipment was recovered during two separate operations in late 2024, including a drug seizure in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and an army search in Manipur.
Musk later said Starlink’s satellite beams had been switched off over India and insisted they had never actually been active there.
For now, India’s government maintains that Starlink is being treated the same way as other satellite internet operators and that security reviews must be completed before final approvals are granted.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
