Elon Musk intensifies attack on Ambani over Starlink India launch delay

As SpaceX struggles to launch Starlink in India, Elon Musk has stepped up his attack on billionaire Mukesh Ambani, mockingly calling him the country's "prime minister" to suggest he wields outsized control over its government and accusing him of blocking the satellite internet service from competing.

On Friday, Musk continued his criticism of the famed Reliance Industries' chairperson in a post on X, arguing that Starlink could bring internet access to areas that remain unconnected, giving children more opportunities to learn, and helping small businesses reach customers worldwide.

"Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?" Musk wrote.

Reliance Jio, Reliance Industries' telecom arm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Musk's latest comments follow his accusations earlier this week that unnamed "oligarchs" were blocking Starlink's launch in India to protect their business interests. India's Ministry of Communications rejected the allegations, saying the country's regulatory framework for satellite communications is "fair and non-discriminatory." Musk then went further on Thursday, questioning Ambani's influence in a separate post on X. "Is Ambani the real boss of India?" he asked.

SpaceX has spent years trying to launch Starlink in India. Last year, it even struck distribution agreements with Ambani's Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India's second-largest telecom operator, to offer the service once it received the necessary approvals. However, Starlink has not yet received the go-ahead from New Delhi to begin commercial operations, despite securing key regulatory clearances .

In its Thursday statement, the Indian communication ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments that must be completed before they can receive satellite spectrum. The ministry said all three are at "broadly the same regulatory stage," rejecting Musk's suggestion that Starlink was being singled out.

Jio and Airtel are also seeking to launch their satellite internet services in India. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is striving to offer satellite connectivity in the country.

India, the world's most populous country with over a billion internet users, is a major market for Musk. But expanding there also means dealing with powerful business figures such as Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate owns India's largest telecom operator and works with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on major projects.