India rejects Elon Musk’s claim of discrimination over Starlink launch
Starlink is still awaiting security clearance before it can seek spectrum and begin commercial services in India.
India has rejected Elon Musk's claim that Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, is being unfairly blocked from launching in the country. Musk accused unnamed "oligarchs" of blocking Starlink's launch in India to maintain a "monopolistic chokehold" on the market, without providing evidence. The Indian Ministry of Communications defended its regulatory framework, stating it is "fair and non-discriminatory," adding that Starlink is currently at the same regulatory stage as other licensed satellite operators.
Starlink has spent over five years trying to enter the Indian market, though it has not yet begun commercial services despite securing key approvals and partnering with telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. SpaceX has appointed a local team to prepare for a launch, and Starlink claims to have more than 20 gateway sites and hundreds of antennas in India, meeting the country's regulatory, security, and data-sovereignty requirements.
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