By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Sunday has stepped up his attack on Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s delayed commercial launch in India, argued that greater competition in the country’s internet market would benefit consumers even if it reduced the profits of established telecom operators.
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said three satellite operators have secured licences, but commercial services remain subject to security compliance and spectrum allocation.
SpaceX chief executive Musk accused Ambani’s supporters of making contradictory claims about Starlink’s potential impact on India’s telecom sector.
Musk questioned how critics could dismiss Starlink as too expensive to compete with existing operators while simultaneously portraying it as a threat to their businesses.
He described the arguments as “absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole” and accused what he called Ambani’s “army of Internet shills” of defending the existing market structure.
Elon stressed that allowing more companies to compete would give Indian consumers additional options without necessarily driving established players out of business.
“Ambani’s profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business,” Musk wrote.
Musk also acknowledged that Starlink would have to offer competitive prices to attract customers in India, where established telecom operators already provide relatively inexpensive mobile data services.
“Obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable,” he added.
Aaron Burnett, chief executive officer of Mach33 Financial Group, who challenged the widely held perception that India’s internet services are both affordable and widely accessible.
Burnett argued that India’s reputation for inexpensive connectivity is largely based on mobile internet services, rather than fixed broadband connections.
He pointed to estimates that mobile users in India consume approximately 30–40 gigabytes of data monthly, while home fibre connections account for considerably higher usage.
Burnett said affordable alternatives could drive a significant increase in fixed broadband take-up and open the market to millions of new subscribers.
His argument offered a different perspective on India’s internet market, where the availability of low-cost mobile data does not necessarily reflect the accessibility of home broadband services.
Musk’s latest remarks follow a series of increasingly pointed attacks on Ambani over Starlink’s inability to begin commercial operations despite having secured an Indian satellite communications licence.
He addressed the Reliance chairman as “Prime Minister Ambani” and questioned whether Starlink would be permitted to compete in the Indian market.
Musk also accused powerful business interests of obstructing Starlink’s entry, although he has not publicly presented evidence establishing that Ambani or Reliance influenced the regulatory process.
He also argued that satellite broadband could improve connectivity in underserved parts of India, particularly areas where conventional internet infrastructure remains unavailable.
Musk also cited Starlink’s potential role in maintaining communications during natural disasters.
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who rejected suggestions that the government was favoring any particular company in the satellite communications sector.
“India does not allow a monopoly in any sector,” Scindia said.
He clarified that three operators Reliance Jio’s satellite communications venture, Eutelsat OneWeb and Starlink have received licences.
Minister added that none can begin commercial operations until the necessary regulatory and security requirements are completed.
Scindia also confirmed that Amazon has expressed interest in entering the satellite communications market but must follow the prescribed licensing process.
The government is close to finalize the pricing framework for the administrative assignment of satellite spectrum.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Department of Telecommunications have been involved in discussions over the applicable charges.
The Ministry of Communications has rejected Musk’s allegations of discriminatory treatment, maintained that the three licensed satellite operators are at broadly similar stages of regulatory approval.
Security assessments remain under way, and operators must fulfill the relevant conditions before spectrum can be assigned and commercial services can begin.
The dispute has placed renewed attention on the future of satellite broadband in India, with the government maintaining that regulatory compliance, rather than commercial rivalry, will determine when operators can launch their services, media reported.
