Elon Musk Escalates Attack on Mukesh Ambani as Starlink’s India Launch Remains Stalled

As SpaceX continues to face persistent hurdles in launching its satellite internet service in India, billionaire Elon Musk has sharply escalated his rhetoric against Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. In a series of provocative statements on social media, Musk mockingly referred to the Reliance Industries chairperson as the country’s "prime minister"—suggesting outsized influence over the Indian government—and accused him of deliberately blocking Starlink from entering the market to protect his commercial interests.

The public feud highlights the high stakes of India’s rapidly growing digital economy. Musk’s latest criticisms follow a sequence of heated exchanges on X, formerly known as Twitter, where the SpaceX chief executive officer argued that Starlink could fundamentally transform connectivity in underserved regions. By bringing reliable internet access to remote areas, Musk contended, the satellite network could significantly enhance educational opportunities for children and help small businesses reach a global customer base.

In a direct post targeting Ambani, Musk wrote, "Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?" Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of Reliance Industries, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the remarks.

The tensions come on the heels of previous accusations made by Musk earlier in the week, in which he claimed that unnamed "oligarchs" were obstructing Starlink’s path to commercial operations in India to safeguard their domestic business dominance. In response, India’s Ministry of Communications pushed back strongly against the allegations, asserting that the nation’s regulatory framework for satellite communications remains entirely fair and non-discriminatory. Undeterred, Musk pressed further, posting a separate message asking, "Is Ambani the real boss of India?"

The friction between SpaceX and India’s established telecom players is rooted in years of strategic maneuvering. SpaceX has spent considerable time and effort attempting to introduce Starlink to the Indian market. Last year, the company even forged distribution agreements with both Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel—India’s second-largest telecom operator—with the intention of rolling out services once final regulatory approvals were secured. However, despite achieving key regulatory clearances, Starlink has not yet received the definitive go-ahead from New Delhi to commence commercial operations.

Addressing the delays, the Indian communications ministry clarified that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are currently undergoing mandatory security assessments. These evaluations must be fully completed before any company can be awarded satellite spectrum. The ministry emphasized that all three prospective operators are standing at broadly the same regulatory stage, directly refuting Musk’s assertions that Starlink is being unfairly singled out or delayed.

Both Jio and Airtel are aggressively pursuing their own satellite broadband ambitions in the country. Reliance Jio has established a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel serves as a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is also striving to expand satellite connectivity across the vast South Asian nation.

India represents a crucial market for global tech enterprises. As the world’s most populous country, it boasts over a billion internet users. Yet, navigating this massive market requires dealing with exceptionally powerful domestic conglomerates. Ambani’s Reliance empire controls India’s largest telecom operator and has historically worked closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major national economic and infrastructure projects.

The current clash over satellite internet is not the first time Musk has confronted regulatory and market barriers in India. Alongside the delayed rollout of Starlink, Musk has also encountered steep hurdles in establishing Tesla’s presence in the country. After years of anticipation, the prominent electric vehicle manufacturer officially launched operations in India last year. However, according to data cited by Electrek, the company registered a modest 699 vehicles during its first twelve months of deliveries.

Steep import duties significantly inflated the local launch price of the Tesla Model Y, driving it to nearly twice its retail price in the United States. Although Tesla implemented price reductions earlier in the year, its electric vehicles remain considerably more expensive for Indian consumers compared to western markets.

Prior to Musk’s recent social media attacks, Starlink and Reliance Jio had already locked horns over the policy framework governing the allocation of satellite spectrum. SpaceX advocated for spectrum to be assigned through an administrative process, whereas Jio strongly favored a competitive auction model. Ultimately, New Delhi decided to allocate the spectrum administratively, a decision that favored Starlink’s preferred approach but failed to accelerate its immediate market entry.

Despite securing certain policy wins, Starlink’s broader operational launch remains suspended in limbo. Indian Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia firmly rejected Musk’s monopoly allegations, reiterating that the country’s economic policy categorically prohibits monopolies across any sector. As regulatory security reviews continue, the timeline for Starlink’s official debut in India remains uncertain, leaving the high-stakes corporate rivalry unresolved.