Elon Musk claims unnamed entities are preventing Starlink from launching in India to protect their market dominance.
Key facts
- •Elon Musk accused unnamed oligarchs of blocking Starlink to protect a monopolistic chokehold on Indian consumers.
- •Starlink resubmitted an application to IN-SPACe in August for its Gen 2 satellite constellation.
- •Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel control more than 80% of the Indian telecom market.
- •IN-SPACe authorized Starlink's Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 satellites in July 2025.
- •SpaceX reported having 11,000 satellites in orbit serving over 170 countries.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk alleged on Wednesday that unnamed "oligarchs" are blocking Starlink’s entry into the Indian market to maintain a monopolistic hold over consumers. Musk characterized the situation as a "crime against the people of India" in a post on X. The comments follow Starlink's recent efforts to secure regulatory approval for its satellite constellation operations in the country.
By the numbers
Regulatory and Market Context
Starlink recently resubmitted an application to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for its Gen 2 satellite constellation, which would operate at an altitude of 340-615 km and include direct-to-device capabilities. Previously, IN-SPACe rejected a proposal for a 30,000-satellite constellation due to non-conformity issues but authorized a Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 satellites in July 2025. Commercial satellite services by non-geostationary operators have not yet begun in India as the country continues to finalize regulatory frameworks regarding spectrum allocation and security clearances. The Indian telecom market is currently dominated by Reliance Industries' Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together hold over 80% of the market share. While SpaceX previously announced deals with both companies to roll out services, little progress has been reported. Jio has separately announced plans to partner with global providers to lease satellite capacity for its own connectivity rollout.
Company Stance and Security Concerns
During the India Mobile Congress on Wednesday, SpaceX Vice President Lauren Dreyer stated that Starlink has been working for years to provide internet access in India and noted existing memorandums of understanding with Airtel and Reliance Jio. She highlighted that Starlink currently operates 11,000 satellites globally. The company has faced regulatory pushback in India, including reports of frozen approvals over security concerns regarding terminal usage, which SpaceX has denied.
Timeline
- July 2025IN-SPACe authorized Starlink's Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 satellites.
- August 20Starlink resubmitted an application to IN-SPACe for its Gen 2 satellite constellation.
- WednesdayElon Musk alleged on X that oligarchs are blocking Starlink's entry into India.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Economic Times, CNBC Technology.
