The communications ministry said its satcom regulations are non-discriminatory, after Elon Musk claimed monopolistic oligarchs are blocking Starlink’s operations in India
Starlink, Jio and Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb have been awaiting final approvals to launch their satcom services for months despite having set up the required ground infrastructure
Musk claimed that Starlink will allow high-speed internet connectivity for rural India, adding that the lack of satellite connectivity is a “crime against the people of India”
The Centre has rejected SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s allegation that unnamed oligarchs are blocking Starlink’s launch in India, saying the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications is fair and non-discriminatory.
The communications ministry said all three licensed satcom operators are undergoing security assessments and are at broadly the same regulatory stage.
The three licensees are Starlink, Reliance’s Jio Satellite Communications, and Bharti Enterprises-backed Eutelsat OneWeb.
“As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived,” the ministry said.
The response followed Musk’s comments on X last night, when he alleged that Starlink was “being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people”.
“You can guess who they are,” he added, calling the alleged obstruction “a crime against the people of India”.
Musk was responding to a post calling for Starlink’s entry to address gaps in rural internet coverage. He did not name the people he accused of blocking the company’s launch.
The ministry said the three operators have been granted telecom licences to provide Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) services using non-geostationary satellite systems. However, licensees must demonstrate compliance with security conditions to protect user data.
“Security assessment as part of this process is currently under way in respect of all the three licensees. As and when this process is completed for a licensed entity, it may proceed to the next step of seeking assignment of spectrum,” it said.
All three operators are awaiting approvals to launch commercial satcom services in India. In September, Eutelsat OneWeb sought immediate security clearance for its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, having waited more than 18 months since conducting its security compliance demonstration in January 2025.
Separately, Starlink has reportedly reapplied to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for approval for its second-generation constellation of nearly 30,000 LEO satellites, including direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity capabilities.
Starlink’s India Readiness
The exchange comes amid the ongoing ‘India Mobile Congress 2026’ in New Delhi, where Starlink vice president of business operations Lauren Dreyer said the company has built infrastructure to serve the Indian market.
Dreyer said Starlink has been “working closely with Indian regulators, industry, and operators to understand how to adapt and prepare Starlink operations here in India to serve India best”.
“We have built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of Indian security requirements and other regulations. We have already made the investment and built the existing ground infrastructure here: 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas, and we have established the operations to be ready to serve India,” she said.
Musk, meanwhile, pitched Starlink as an option for people with limited or unaffordable internet access.
“Starlink in India would enable high-speed, affordable Internet connectivity for those who can’t afford current prices or who don’t have a connection at all,” he said in another X post.
He also rejected claims that Starlink had been used by insurgents in Manipur.
“Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false,” Musk said.