India denies bias in satellite internet approvals after Musk's 'oligarchs' jab

India's telecom regulator defended the country's satellite internet approval process as equitable and unbiased on Thursday, mere hours after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk accused unnamed "oligarchs" of obstructing Starlink's launch in India. Musk did not specify the individuals he referred to in his post on X. India's market is currently dominated by billionaire-owned telecommunications giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who have already been granted early approvals to launch their satellite internet ventures, awaiting spectrum assignment and final clearances. Starlink has been wrestling with security requirements and spectrum access for four years.

Responding to Musk's remarks, India's telecommunications ministry stated that three entities were at similar regulatory stages, with security assessments currently underway for each. The ministry did not name the companies or Musk. "The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the ministry declared in a statement.

The dispute is not new, as Musk has previously been at odds with Mittal and Ambani over spectrum allocation for India. However, the three reached an agreement in 2025 to sign individual deals to distribute Starlink devices in the country. India's offer of Starlink access to a satellite broadband market, which Deloitte projects will be worth $1.9 billion by 2030, adds a diplomatic dimension.

The US has utilized Starlink's market access as a goodwill gesture in trade talks with countries facing tariff issues, while New Delhi and Washington have been struggling to finalize a trade deal since reaching a framework in February.

Security concerns have also surfaced following the recovery of Starlink equipment from India. Authorities uncovered Starlink devices during a drug seizure by police in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and an army search in Manipur state in late 2024. Musk then claimed that Starlink's satellite beams were "turned off over India" and "never on in the first place," a statement he reiterated on Wednesday.