Elon Musk has escalated his criticism of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service continues to wait for approval to begin commercial operations in India.
Musk mocked Ambani by referring to him as the country’s “prime minister,” suggesting that the Reliance Industries chairman holds excessive influence over the government and is standing in the way of competition.
Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India. Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete? There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better. Thank you 🙏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 9, 2026
In a post on X on Friday, Musk argued that Starlink could help connect remote communities, give children better access to educational resources, and enable small businesses to reach customers around the world.
“Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Musk wrote, directly challenging Ambani over the delayed launch.
The latest remarks follow a series of posts in which Musk accused unnamed business leaders of obstructing Starlink’s entry into India to protect their commercial interests. Earlier this week, he questioned Ambani’s influence in a separate post, asking, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”
India’s Ministry of Communications has rejected suggestions that Starlink is being unfairly targeted. In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators were undergoing security assessments required before they could receive satellite spectrum. It added that all three companies were at broadly the same stage of the regulatory process.
India’s telecom minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, also pushed back against Musk’s allegations on Friday, saying the country does not allow a monopoly in any sector.
SpaceX has been working for years to bring Starlink to India, one of the world’s largest internet markets, with more than a billion internet users. Although the company has secured key regulatory clearances, it has yet to receive all the necessary approvals to begin commercial operations.
In March 2025, Starlink reached distribution agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, to make its satellite internet service available through their networks once regulatory approval was granted. However, the service remains unavailable commercially as the remaining requirements, including security assessments and spectrum allocation, continue to be addressed.
The dispute also reflects broader competition over satellite internet in India. Before Musk’s latest accusations, Starlink and Reliance Jio disagreed over how satellite spectrum should be allocated. Musk’s company supported administrative allocation, while Jio argued for an auction. New Delhi ultimately opted for administrative allocation.
Reliance Jio is also preparing to enter the satellite connectivity market through a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES. Bharti Airtel, meanwhile, is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, another satellite operator seeking to provide connectivity in India.
Ambani’s Reliance conglomerate operates India’s largest telecom business and has extensive commercial ties with the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This makes India a particularly challenging market for Starlink, where regulatory decisions could shape competition between established telecom operators and emerging satellite internet providers.
Musk has encountered other obstacles in expanding his businesses in India. Tesla entered the country in 2025 after years of anticipation, but the electric vehicle maker reportedly registered just 699 vehicles during its first 12 months of deliveries, according to data cited by Electrek. High import duties pushed the Model Y’s Indian launch price to nearly twice its U.S. price. Although Tesla reduced prices earlier this year, its vehicles remain significantly more expensive in India.
For now, Starlink’s Indian launch remains in limbo as the company awaits the completion of regulatory requirements. Musk’s public criticism has intensified the dispute, but Indian officials maintain that the same regulatory framework applies to competing satellite operators.
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