By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – Billionaire Elon Musk has accused powerful business leaders in India of blocking his Starlink satellite internet service to protect their dominance of the country’s telecommunications market, prompting a sharp rejection from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
“Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X. “You can guess who they are…”
Although Musk did not identify the business leaders, his comments appeared directed at two of India’s wealthiest businessmen, Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, and Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder of Bharti Enterprises.
Their telecommunications companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, dominate India’s vast mobile and broadband market, serving hundreds of millions of customers in the world’s most populous nation of more than 1.4 billion people.
INDIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
India’s Ministry of Communications rejected Musk’s allegations Thursday, October 8, insisting that the country’s rules for satellite internet providers are fair and apply equally to all companies.
The government described suggestions of unfair treatment as “baseless and misconceived,” maintaining that Starlink and competing satellite operators must meet the same licensing and security requirements.
SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company, has been seeking final permission to launch Starlink services in India, a potentially lucrative market where millions of people, particularly in rural communities, still lack reliable high-speed internet connections.
Starlink uses satellites orbiting Earth to provide internet access, including in remote villages and other areas where conventional telecommunications networks are unavailable or unreliable.
BILLIONAIRES CLASH
The dispute highlights tensions between Musk and established Indian telecommunications companies over who will control the country’s growing satellite internet market.
Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Mittal’s Bharti Airtel have invested heavily in India’s telecommunications infrastructure and together account for more than 80 percent of the country’s broadband subscriptions.
Musk has previously argued that satellite internet companies should receive government permission to use the frequencies needed for their services without having to compete in expensive auctions.
Indian telecommunications operators have pushed for rules that they say would ensure fair competition, arguing that they have already paid substantial sums to build their networks and secure operating rights.
STARLINK EXPANSION
Despite their disagreements, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel reached separate agreements with Musk’s SpaceX in 2025 to help sell Starlink equipment and internet services in India once the government gives its final approval.
Starlink has already received initial permission to operate, but Indian authorities say it must still meet security and other government requirements before customers can sign up.
India’s government insists Starlink and its Indian competitors are being treated equally.
The dispute comes as India and the United States seek closer economic ties, raising questions about whether disagreements over satellite internet could complicate relations between the two nations.
INTERNET AFFORDABILITY
For millions of Indians living in remote villages, Starlink could provide internet access where conventional networks are unreliable or unavailable. However, the price may put the service beyond the reach of many families.
According to India’s official labor statistics, salaried employees earned an average of approximately 21,300 rupees ($240) a month in 2025, while self-employed workers earned considerably less.
Starlink has not yet confirmed its Indian subscription prices. A website listing in December 2025 suggested a monthly charge of 8,600 rupees ($97), plus 34,000 rupees ($385) for equipment, but the company subsequently said those figures were not official.
That leaves an important question: even if Musk wins permission to launch Starlink in India, how many ordinary families will be able to afford it?
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
