UKHRUL: SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday questioned why Starlink is yet to receive final approval to begin commercial operations in India, asking whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani is the “real boss of India.”
Musk’s post came in response to a post by physician and entrepreneur Dr Aniruddha Malpani, who wrote that the government was “more interested in protecting the interests of crony capitalists than of citizens.”
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Starlink’s expansion in the region has previously highlighted India’s regulatory delay. In February 2025, Musk announced the service’s availability in neighbouring Bhutan, while Starlink remained unavailable in India pending regulatory approval.
A month later, Bharti Airtel announced its agreement with SpaceX to bring Starlink services to India, subject to regulatory approvals, including plans to serve underserved and remote areas. Ukhrul Times
Musk’s reference to Ambani drew a response from Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who wrote: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.”
Musk subsequently replied to Gandhi: “Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling.”
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The remarks came amid a continuing dispute over Starlink’s pending commercial launch in India. Musk had earlier alleged that “certain oligarchs” were blocking Starlink to maintain a “monopolistic chokehold” over the Indian market.
As per a report in the New Indian Express, the Centre has rejected the allegation, saying India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services is fair and non-discriminatory and that security assessments are underway for all three licensed satellite operators.
It may be interesting to note that Starlink has already begun building partnerships in India’s Northeast. In April 2026, the Meghalaya government had signed a Letter of Intent with Starlink India to expand high-speed satellite connectivity to remote and underserved areas of the state. Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma said the technology could help address last-mile connectivity challenges and improve access to healthcare, education and economic opportunities in difficult terrain. Ukhrul Times
