‘Dear Prime Minister Ambani’: Elon Musk reignites debate over Starlink's pending India licence

In a recent X post, Elon Musk addressed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apologizing for his mistake in addressing him as the real boss of India. Musk expressed his hope that the government would permit Starlink to compete in the Indian market, noting that there are numerous areas in India without internet access, depriving children of education and small businesses of global market opportunities.

He further emphasized that Starlink has proven vital in saving lives during natural disasters when other communication systems fail, ultimately benefiting men, women, and children in India.

Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed Musk's claims of a monopoly in India's broadband sector, stating that the Department of Telecommunications follows a technology-agnostic approach. The minister reiterated that it is the customer's choice within a free market to select the services and companies they prefer. The government affirmed that all three licensed satellite operators, including Starlink, are at a similar regulatory stage and that there are no concerns about unfair or discriminatory processes.

The Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are nearing a final decision on the pricing regime for satellite communication spectrum.