SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Sunday renewed his push for Starlink to begin commercial operations in India, arguing that greater competition would give consumers more options.
He also targeted Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani , accusing his supporters of engaging in “absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole”.
In a post on X, he argued that Starlink’s entry into India would benefit ordinary consumers by giving them more choices. “On the one hand, they say Starlink couldn’t possibly compete with the amazing low prices offered by Ambani’s de facto monopoly in India and then, in the same breath, they essentially claim that Starlink would be too strong of a competitor!
He said the move might reduce Ambani’s profits but would not threaten his business. This is absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole,” he said.
On Saturday, Musk shared screenshots of media reports alleging that a Reliance-funded firm helped promote BJP campaigns on social media and that a Reliance-linked company made large political donations to the ruling party. He also questioned whether Ambani would allow Starlink to compete in India’s satellite internet market. “A post is being circulated in social media regarding the fairness of India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services and suggesting that it is being applied in a discriminatory manner.
Earlier, Musk had sarcastically referred to Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” in a post on X and accused him of trying to protect a monopoly. In a statement, the ministry of communications dismissed allegations that the rules or their implementation favoured certain companies, calling them “baseless and misconceived”. The Government has put in place a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communication services,” the ministry said.
