India on Thursday rejected Elon Musk's allegation that unnamed "oligarchs" are blocking Starlink's satellite internet launch in the country, with the Ministry of Communications calling the claim "baseless and misconceived".
Musk had written on X that Starlink was being blocked by "certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people", without naming anyone. He made the remark in response to a post highlighting that 11,256 Indian villages still lacked 4G coverage as of May 2026.
Government's rebuttal
The Ministry of Communications said India has put in place a "fair and non-discriminatory" authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communications. It said telecom licences had been granted to three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) services using non-geosynchronous orbit-based satellites, and that security assessments were currently under way for all three licensees.
"At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage," the ministry said, adding that once a licensee completes its security assessment, it may proceed to seek spectrum assignment. "The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived."
A long wait
India's telecom market is dominated by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio and Sunil Mittal's Bharti Airtel, whose satellite internet ventures — alongside Musk's Starlink — have secured early approvals but are still awaiting spectrum assignment and final clearances. Starlink's wait has stretched to four years amid scrutiny over security requirements and spectrum access.
Musk has previously been at odds with Mittal and Ambani over how India should allocate satellite spectrum, though the three set aside their differences in 2025 to sign separate deals to distribute Starlink devices in India. Deloitte has forecast India's satellite broadband market will be worth $1.9 billion by 2030.
The row also carries a diplomatic dimension: the US has pushed Starlink's market access as a goodwill marker in trade talks, while New Delhi and Washington have struggled to finalise a trade deal since reaching a framework in February.
Sources:
- India denies bias in satellite internet approvals after Musk's 'oligarchs' jab
- Starlink Row: 'Policies Fair & Non-Discriminatory,' Govt Says After Musk's 'Oligarch' Remark
- Centre rejects Musk's 'oligarchs' claim over Starlink services in India
Musk had written on X that Starlink was being blocked by "certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people", without naming anyone. He made the remark in response to a post highlighting that 11,256 Indian villages still lacked 4G coverage as of May 2026.
Government's rebuttal
The Ministry of Communications said India has put in place a "fair and non-discriminatory" authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communications. It said telecom licences had been granted to three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) services using non-geosynchronous orbit-based satellites, and that security assessments were currently under way for all three licensees.
"At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage," the ministry said, adding that once a licensee completes its security assessment, it may proceed to seek spectrum assignment. "The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived."
A long wait
India's telecom market is dominated by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio and Sunil Mittal's Bharti Airtel, whose satellite internet ventures — alongside Musk's Starlink — have secured early approvals but are still awaiting spectrum assignment and final clearances. Starlink's wait has stretched to four years amid scrutiny over security requirements and spectrum access.
Musk has previously been at odds with Mittal and Ambani over how India should allocate satellite spectrum, though the three set aside their differences in 2025 to sign separate deals to distribute Starlink devices in India. Deloitte has forecast India's satellite broadband market will be worth $1.9 billion by 2030.
The row also carries a diplomatic dimension: the US has pushed Starlink's market access as a goodwill marker in trade talks, while New Delhi and Washington have struggled to finalise a trade deal since reaching a framework in February.
Sources:
- India denies bias in satellite internet approvals after Musk's 'oligarchs' jab
- Starlink Row: 'Policies Fair & Non-Discriminatory,' Govt Says After Musk's 'Oligarch' Remark
- Centre rejects Musk's 'oligarchs' claim over Starlink services in India
