Musk vs Ambani over Starlink: what the row is about and what India's government says

Key takeaways

• Elon Musk has accused powerful business interests in India of blocking Starlink's commercial launch, then named Mukesh Ambani, owner of Reliance Jio, in a series of posts on X between Wednesday and Friday.
• India's Ministry of Communications called the allegation "baseless and misconceived" and said Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications are at "broadly the same" regulatory stage.
• Starlink still needs final security clearances and spectrum allocation before it can start service in India.
• Reliance and Mukesh Ambani had not responded publicly at the time of the BBC report; Jio chairman Akash Ambani declined to comment on Wednesday.
• Ironically, Starlink signed distribution deals with both Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel in March 2025, subject to government approval.

Timeline of the row

Wednesday: Musk wrote on X that "certain oligarchs" maintain a "monopolistic chokehold" on Indian consumers, adding "You can guess who they are" and calling the blocking of Starlink "a crime against the people of India". The remarks came as Starlink, Jio and Airtel executives were at the India Mobile Congress in Delhi.

Thursday: The communications ministry replied without naming Musk, saying all three satellite operators are awaiting security clearances and spectrum. Musk then wrote that Starlink "is licensed in over 165 countries" and "has spent five years complying with every single law", asking why it had no licence and "Is Ambani the real boss of India?"

Friday: Musk posted "Dear Prime Minister Ambani, please accept my humble apologies for not realising that you are the real boss of India", adding that Ambani would "prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation" of Indian people, but asking whether he would "consider allowing Starlink to compete". Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India "does not allow a monopoly in any sector", TechCrunch reported.

What each side says

Musk / Starlink: Starlink says it has complied with Indian rules for five years and could bring affordable internet to areas with no connectivity. SpaceX executive Lauren Dreyer said the company has built security controls into its network.

Indian government: The ministry says its satellite communications framework is fair and non-discriminatory. It says all three operators must finish security assessments before spectrum can be assigned.

Reliance Jio and Airtel: Both are developing satellite services and partnering with Starlink on distribution. Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said his venture was also awaiting approvals.

Why it matters

• Security: Authorities in 2024 said they recovered Starlink equipment during a drug-smuggling probe in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and an army operation in Manipur. Musk said at the time that the service was never active in India.
• Spectrum: TechCrunch reports Starlink wanted spectrum assigned administratively while Jio pushed for an auction; New Delhi chose the administrative route.
• Price: Starlink has not announced Indian prices. In the US its residential plans start at $55 a month, which experts told the BBC may be out of reach for many Indian households.

What to watch

• Whether the government completes security clearances and allots spectrum to any of the three operators.
• Whether Reliance or Ambani responds publicly.
• Starlink's India pricing once approval arrives.

This is a developing story and we will update it if the clearances or responses change.