“India does not allow a monopoly in any sector,” Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said at a media briefing on Friday, addressing Musk’s remarks, Reuters reported.
Musk, whose SpaceX company operates Starlink, is seeking access to India’s telecommunications market, which has more than a billion internet users and is dominated by Reliance Jio, owned by Ambani, and Bharti Airtel, led by Sunil Mittal.
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On Thursday, Musk questioned the delay in Starlink’s entry into the market, writing on X: “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” He said the company had spent years complying with Indian requirements but still faced obstacles to launching its services. Musk provided no evidence to support his suggestion that Ambani was influencing the process.
Reliance Jio did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Musk’s remarks.
Starlink’s efforts to enter India have been ongoing for about four years, prompting debate over regulatory delays and the influence of major business groups. The dispute has also drawn participation from political opposition figures.
Although Starlink has obtained a licence to operate in India, it must still meet security compliance requirements and receive a spectrum assignment before it can launch commercial services.
The Indian government said on Thursday that all three licensed satellite internet operators, including Starlink, were at broadly the same stage of the regulatory process. It described suggestions that the process was unfair or discriminatory as “baseless and misconceived”.
The dispute highlights the regulatory and commercial challenges facing satellite internet providers seeking to enter one of the world’s largest telecommunications markets.
