India Rejects Elon Musk's Claims of Starlink Blockade
The Indian government has denied Elon Musk's accusations of unfair treatment in satellite communications regulation. The country stated its regulatory framework is non-discriminatory for all operators.
India's central government has dismissed claims by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that "certain oligarchs" are blocking Starlink's launch in the country. The government asserted that India's regulatory framework for satellite communications is fair and non-discriminatory to all three licensed operators.
The Ministry of Communications clarified that all three satcom operators – Starlink, Reliance's Jio Satellite Communications, and Bharti Enterprises-backed Eutelsat OneWeb – are undergoing security assessments and are largely at the same regulatory stage. "As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the ministry stated.
Musk made his allegations on social media platform X, suggesting a "monopolistic chokehold" was preventing Starlink's entry into the Indian market, but did not name any specific individuals. The government emphasized that licensees must meet security conditions to protect user data, and operators are awaiting spectrum assignment approvals pending the completion of these processes.
The exchange comes amidst the India Mobile Congress event, where a Starlink representative mentioned the company has built infrastructure for the Indian market and has been working closely with local regulators. Musk stated Starlink would provide high-speed, affordable internet for those lacking access or finding current services too expensive.