Elon Musk Questions India Licensing Delays for Starlink
Elon Musk accused Indian officials of favoring Mukesh Ambani as Starlink faces ongoing regulatory delays to enter the satellite internet market.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has publicly questioned the Indian government's delay in granting a license for Starlink to operate satellite internet services in the country. Musk described the situation as troubling and asked if Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the "real boss of India," asserting that Starlink has complied with Indian laws and requirements for five years.
The Ministry of Communications rejected these claims, stating that the regulatory framework for telecommunications is fair and non-discriminatory. The ministry denied that vested interests are obstructing Starlink's entry into the market.
Opposition leaders have weighed in on the dispute. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated that all satellite internet providers must follow the same regulatory process. Tharoor noted that if the government's claim of uniform delays is accurate, then neither Musk nor Ambani holds a competitive advantage in the queue. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also engaged with Musk on X regarding the licensing struggles.
