The fight between industrialist Elon Musk and Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has increased over the delay in starting satellite internet service in India. Elon Musk has taken the help of social media platform 'X' because Starlink has not yet received permission to provide service in India. He jokingly called Ambani 'Prime Minister Ambani' and demanded that Starlink be given a chance to compete in India. He also alleged that Ambani has influence on the telecom sector in India.
Musk wrote in his post, “Dear Prime Minister Ambani, please accept my humble apology for not understanding that you are the real boss of India.” He further accused Ambani of continuing to 'exploit Indians through monopoly' and asked whether Starlink would be allowed to compete.
Musk raised the issue of internet access not being available in many parts of India. He claimed that if the Internet reached such areas, students could have more educational opportunities, and small businesses could access global markets. Musk also said that if traditional communication systems are disrupted during natural disasters, satellite internet services like Starlink could be vital.
The central government heard
The central government has made its position clear on Musk's allegations. The Telecom Ministry said that the regulatory system for satellite communication services in India is fair and non-discriminatory. To start these services, the concerned companies will have to follow the security conditions, and the ministry made it clear that the process of security verification of the three licensed companies is going on. Therefore, the government rejected the claim that Starlink was being deliberately blocked.
Musk's SpaceX's Starlink, Bharti Group's Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications are in the race to launch satellite internet services in India. Even after getting the relevant permissions, these companies will not be able to start services until the security checks and spectrum allocation process are completed.
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