India Rejects Musk’s Allegations Over Starlink Approval Delays

The dispute between the Indian government and Elon Musk over approvals for Starlink’s satellite internet services has intensified. The government strongly rejected Musk’s allegation that some domestic industrialists were obstructing Starlink’s entry into India. The Department of Telecommunications said all satellite communication companies are subject to uniform regulatory and security requirements, describing Musk’s claims as unfounded. Musk questioned why Starlink had yet to receive final approval despite complying with Indian laws and regulations for five years, noting that the service had been authorised in more than 165 countries. He also alleged that influential business groups were trying to protect their position in the Indian market. His post on X asking whether Ambani was the “real boss” in India added to the controversy.

The government has issued licences to Starlink, Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb to provide satellite communication services in India. However, none of the companies has started commercial operations, as the approval process is still underway, officials said. Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said security clearances were currently with the Union Home Ministry and maintained that the government was not favouring or opposing any company. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to Musk’s remarks on X, expressing hope that Musk would find another person acting as the “real boss”. Musk thanked Gandhi for commenting on what he described as a concerning issue.