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Elon Musk has accused “certain oligarchs” of trying to restrict competition in India's satellite internet market. Taking to X, the billionaire raised concerns about how satellite internet services are being allowed to operate in the country, bringing his disagreement with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani back into focus.
Musk also argued that Starlink would have to keep its prices affordable in India because customers simply wouldn't subscribe if the service were too expensive. According to him, allowing more companies to compete would ultimately give Indian consumers greater choice.
The timing: Musk's comments came just as Jio Platforms, the digital services arm of Reliance Industries, prepares for what could become India's biggest-ever IPO.
Reliance has not publicly responded to Elon’s allegations.
The Indian government, meanwhile, has maintained that its approval process for telecom and satellite services is fair and applies equally to all companies. It has rejected suggestions that the rules are being selectively enforced.
On Friday, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia reiterated that India does not allow monopolies in any sector. He pointed out that three satellite communication companies have already received licences: Musk's Starlink, Reliance Jio's Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb.
Amazon's Project Kuiper has also expressed interest in entering the market but will need to go through the same approval process.
The battle: Satellite internet works by delivering connectivity through satellites in space instead of relying entirely on mobile towers or underground cables. It can be particularly useful in remote areas where traditional internet infrastructure is difficult to build.
Both companies are investing in this market, although their satellite networks differ significantly in scale.
Jio is developing a network of more than 1,600 low-Earth orbit satellites, supported by 23 ground stations. Starlink, operated by Musk's SpaceX, already has more than 11,000 satellites in its constellation.
For now, Musk's allegations remain disputed, Reliance has not publicly addressed them, and the government maintains that its satellite internet rules apply equally to everyone.
