Elon Musk has accused the Ambanis of blocking Starlink's entry into India. Musk has questioned whether billionaire Mukesh Ambani is the "real boss of India" as his satellite internet company Starlink struggles to secure final approval to launch in the country. The remark came a day after Musk accused unnamed powerful business interests of trying to block Starlink's entry into India. He then singled out Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate owns Jio, India's biggest mobile network operator.

India has rejected Musk's allegations, stating that its satellite communications rules are fair and non-discriminatory. Ambani and the Reliance Group have not responded to Musk's remarks, and the BBC has reached out to them for comment.

Growing Competition in Satellite Internet

The row comes as competition intensifies in India's satellite internet market, with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel also preparing to launch services. This rivalry is complicated by the fact that Starlink has partnered with both Ambani's Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. In March 2025, both companies signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink equipment and services in India, subject to government approval. They also mentioned exploring the possibility of sharing network infrastructure.

The BBC has also reached out to Bharti Airtel for comment. Musk first made the allegations on Wednesday, accusing "certain oligarchs" of maintaining a "monopolistic chokehold" on Indian consumers. He stated, "You can guess who they are," adding that blocking Starlink was "a crime against the people of India".

Government Response

On Thursday, India's Ministry of Communications responded, stating that three operators—Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Jio Satellite Communications—were at broadly the same stage of the approval process, with all three awaiting security clearances and spectrum allocation before they can launch commercial services. The ministry remarked, "The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," without naming Musk directly.