'Baseless, misconceived': Centre after Elon Musk blames Starlink hurdles in India on 'monopolistic chokeholds'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has accused "certain oligarchs" in India of blocking the launch of Starlink in the country, alleging that they are trying to protect their "monopolistic chokehold" over Indian consumers.

Musk made the remarks on X while responding to a post by pro-Musk account DogeDesigner, which highlighted the potential of Starlink to expand high-speed internet access in India.

"Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are... This is a crime against the people of India!" Musk said in the post.

DogeDesigner had pointed to India's relatively low share of wired internet connections, stating that only 4.26 per cent of the country's internet subscriptions were wired as of March 2026. The account argued that Starlink could provide another high-speed broadband option, particularly for underserved communities.

The account also claimed that Starlink had developed India-specific security controls aimed at keeping Indian user data within the country.

Musk's remarks came a day after Starlink Vice President of Business Operations Lauren Dreyer said the company was ready to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of achieving 100 per cent connectivity across India.

However, the Centre has rejected Musk's allegations, maintaining that India's regulatory framework for satellite communication services is fair and non-discriminatory.

Responding to Musk's post, the Ministry of Communications described his remarks as "baseless and misconceived". The ministry said the government had established a uniform authorisation framework for all telecommunications services, including satellite communication.

The Centre said three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) service providers operating through non-geostationary satellite systems have been granted telecom licences as part of the government's efforts to enable satellite communication services in India.

The ministry further clarified that all licence holders are required to comply with security conditions, including requirements aimed at protecting users and their data. Security assessments are currently underway for all three licensees, it said.

Once the security assessment is completed for a licensed entity, the company can move to the next stage of seeking spectrum assignment.

"At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage. As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the ministry said.

Starlink has been awaiting final regulatory clearances to begin commercial operations in India. The company is seeking to enter a telecom market dominated by Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea.

Airtel is owned by the Bharti group led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, while Jio is part of the Reliance group led by Mukesh Ambani. Vodafone Idea is jointly controlled by the Aditya Birla Group and the Vodafone Group.

Adani Group had also briefly entered the telecom sector after acquiring 400 MHz of 5G spectrum in 2022. The group subsequently transferred the spectrum to Airtel andexited the sector after failing to meet rollout obligations.

Starlink's proposed pricing has also raised questions over its affordability. Reports in late 2025 suggested that the company could price its residential service at around Rs 8,600 per month in India, with customers additionally required to purchase a hardware kit costing around Rs 34,000.

While Musk has positioned Starlink as a potential solution for expanding internet access, particularly in underserved areas, the company's eventual reach and affordability in India will depend on regulatory clearances, spectrum allocation, pricing and the ability to compete with existing telecom providers.