Elon Musk claims ‘oligarchs’ are blocking Starlink in India to protect their monopolies

Dubai: In a fiery statement on X, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk accused unnamed Indian business interests of obstructing the deployment of his satellite internet service, Starlink, within the country to safeguard their market share. Responding to a claim that over 11,000 villages in India still lack mobile network access, Musk alleged, "Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people."

"You can guess who they are... This is a crime against the people of India!" he added, though he did not name the entities or provide proof to back his claims. India's government swiftly rejected Musk's accusations, with a statement from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) asserting that the country's approval process for satellite communications is "fair and non-discriminatory."

The government maintained that Starlink, which received its Indian telecommunications license in 2025, must comply with security measures to protect data, and that evaluations are currently underway for all three global satellite communications providers. Despite signing distribution agreements with SpaceX in 2025, Starlink has yet to commence commercial operations in India.

Musk further stated that Starlink would deliver high-speed, affordable internet to those unable to afford existing services. While Starlink is now operational in the UAE and over 150 other countries and territories, its pending launch in India continues to be under regulatory review.