India says satellite rules ‘fair’ after Musk claim

India defended its satellite communication regulations Thursday, rejecting claims by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk that unnamed oligarchs had blocked his Starlink service to protect their monopolies. The government emphasized that its regulatory framework is fair and non-discriminatory. Although Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms signed a deal with SpaceX to offer Starlink's satellite internet to its customers in March 2025, the service has not yet launched.

Musk claimed on X on Wednesday that the launch was being blocked by "certain oligarchs" to maintain their monopolistic grip on the Indian people. India's Ministry of Communications responded by stating that the government's authorization process for telecommunication services is fair and non-discriminatory. The ministry reiterated that telecom licenses have been granted to satellite services as part of its commitment to enable satellite communication in India, without naming any companies.

The ministry added that security assessments of the licensed entities are currently underway, with their progress to be determined at each stage of the process.