Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani’s feud over Starlink | Explained

Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, has been engaging in a public feud with India’s billionaire Mukesh Ambani over Starlink, a satellite internet service. Musk accused Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, of being the "real boss" of India and preventing Starlink from entering the Indian market to favor Jio.

On October 9, Musk tweeted a mockingly subservient message to "Prime Minister Ambani," apologizing for not realizing Ambani's dominance and asking for permission to allow Starlink to compete in the market. Musk claimed that Starlink would help bridge internet connectivity gaps across the country and aid in life-saving during natural disasters.

Critics of Musk were outraged by what they perceived as undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi and suggesting India's government is under Ambani's influence. Others pointed out that Starlink's service cost significantly more than India-based internet service providers. Musk then stated that competition would benefit Indian customers by offering more choices, and prices would be adjusted accordingly.

He also mentioned that Ambani's profits would be lower, but he wouldn't go out of business, and SpaceX would need to make pricing affordable if Starlink is too expensive in India.

Musk claimed that Starlink has not been licensed in India despite spending five years complying with government laws and requirements. In March 2025, SpaceX announced a partnership with Jio Platforms to offer Starlink broadband internet service in India, pending separate authorizations. This agreement is crucial as Jio Platforms is preparing for an IPO, which typically requires a stable regulatory environment and positive media coverage.

Musk's online spat with Ambani and the Indian government could escalate tensions, especially with Trump's past threats of penalties against countries slowing the foreign operations of U.S. tech giants.

The Indian government denied allowing monopolies in any sector and stated that Starlink beams are turned off over India, and illegal use is not possible. Starlink has been used to access the internet during times of war and civil unrest, such as in Ukraine and Iran. The Indian government aims to ensure that all telecom companies comply with its internet blackouts, making Musk's accusation potentially problematic for the situation.