Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of Mukesh Ambani over delays to Starlink’s commercial launch in India, while promising affordable pricing for the satellite broadband service. The Indian government has rejected allegations of preferential treatment, saying all three licensed satellite operators remain subject to security assessments before they can seek spectrum assignment.
The confrontation brings renewed attention to a market where Starlink’s owner, SpaceX, has already announced distribution agreements with both Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Those agreements were conditional on Starlink receiving the necessary authorisations to sell its services in India.
In an October 10 post on X, Musk said “SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable”. He did not disclose Indian tariffs, according to Reuters. His comments followed accusations that influential business interests were obstructing Starlink’s entry to protect Jio. On October 9, he addressed Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” and asked whether he would “consider allowing Starlink to compete”. Reliance had not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment when its October 11 report was published.
Musk’s assertions remain allegations. The government’s October 8 statement set out a different account of the approval process, confirming that telecom licences had been granted to three operators providing satellite communications through non-geosynchronous satellite systems. Each licensee must demonstrate compliance with security conditions intended to protect users and their data.
“At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage,” the Ministry of Communications said. It explained that security assessments were continuing for all three and that a licensed company could seek spectrum assignment after completing that process. The statement therefore distinguishes obtaining a telecom licence from completing the steps required to begin commercial service.
The dispute also coincides with preparations for Jio Platforms’ public offering. The Financial Times reported that the company was preparing a US$3.8 billion IPO, expected to open on October 21, at a US$106 billion valuation. The newspaper also reported Jio’s proposed constellation of approximately 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites, intended to extend connectivity to 600,000 villages. These are reported plans, rather than a completed offering or an operational constellation.
The public clash contrasts with the cooperation announced by Jio and SpaceX on March 12, 2025. Their agreement envisaged making Starlink solutions available through Jio’s retail outlets and online storefronts, alongside support for installation and activation. The companies also said they would evaluate other opportunities to combine their infrastructure.
Jio’s announcement positioned satellite broadband as a way to extend its existing connectivity offerings into difficult-to-reach locations. It identified enterprises, small and medium businesses, and communities among the intended beneficiaries, and described Starlink as complementary to JioFiber and JioAirFiber. The arrangement remained subject to SpaceX securing its own Indian authorisations.
Airtel announced a separate agreement with SpaceX on March 11, 2025. It proposed exploring sales of Starlink equipment through its stores, services for business customers, and connectivity for schools, health centres and rural communities. The companies also planned to examine how Starlink could enhance Airtel’s network and how SpaceX could use Airtel’s ground infrastructure.
Those announcements show that Starlink’s proposed Indian business involves partnerships with established telecom operators as well as potential competition with their services. Airtel explicitly presented Starlink as an addition to its offerings alongside its existing Eutelsat OneWeb alliance, particularly for areas with limited connectivity.
For prospective customers, two central questions remain unresolved in the cited reports: when Starlink will receive the clearances needed to launch, and what it will charge. Musk has committed publicly to affordability, but has not announced prices. The government, meanwhile, has tied the next regulatory step to completion of security assessments across the licensed operators.
