India has defended its satellite internet approval process after Elon Musk accused unnamed business leaders of blocking Starlink’s launch in the country. The government said the process is fair and does not discriminate against any company.
Elon Musk claimed on X that certain “oligarchs” were trying to protect their market dominance by delaying Starlink’s entry into India. However, he did not identify the people or companies behind the alleged obstruction.
Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are …
This is a crime against the people of India!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 7, 2026
India’s telecom market is dominated by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel. Both companies, along with Starlink, have received early approvals for satellite internet services. However, all three are still awaiting spectrum assignments and final clearances.
India’s telecommunications ministry said the three companies were at broadly the same regulatory stage. Security assessments are underway for each provider, it added. The ministry rejected claims that the approval process was unfair or discriminatory.
The dispute follows years of disagreements over how India should allocate spectrum for satellite internet services. Starlink’s approval process has now stretched to four years, with security requirements and spectrum access among the key hurdles.
Elon Musk previously clashed with Ambani and Mittal over spectrum allocation. However, the three companies set aside their differences in 2025 and signed separate agreements to distribute Starlink devices in India.
India represents a major opportunity for Starlink, which is part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Deloitte forecasts that the country’s satellite broadband market will reach $1.9 billion by 2030.
The dispute also comes as the US pushes Starlink’s market access during trade negotiations with countries facing tariffs. Meanwhile, New Delhi and Washington have struggled to finalize a trade deal since agreeing on a framework in February.
Security concerns have added further complications to Starlink’s entry into India. Authorities recovered Starlink equipment during two separate operations in late 2024. One involved a drug seizure in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while the other followed an army search in Manipur.
Elon Musk later said Starlink’s satellite beams were “turned off over India” and had “never been on in the first place.” He repeated the claim on Wednesday as the dispute over the company’s launch continued.
