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Elon Musk mocked Mukesh Ambani on X, accusing him of blocking Starlink’s entry into India.
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India’s telecom minister rejected Elon’s monopoly allegations and denied unfair treatment.
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Reliance Jio plans to deploy 1,600 satellites as Starlink awaits final regulatory approvals.
Elon Musk is apparently not done picking fights with Mukesh Ambani. The SpaceX billionaire has returned to X with another sarcastic attack on India’s richest telecom mogul, this time joking that Ambani might as well be running the country.
Elon believes the Reliance chairman is protecting his business interests by keeping Starlink out of India’s internet market. The problem? India’s government insists that nobody is receiving special treatment, and Ambani himself has remained noticeably quiet throughout this increasingly public feud.
“Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India. Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?”
Elon went on to explain that there were several regions in India, as well as in other nations, where there was no internet connection available, thus depriving the children of the opportunity to be educated and the smaller firms the chance to sell their products in the international market.
Elon also stated that the satellite internet could connect underdeveloped regions, allow children to study on the internet, and provide smaller companies with the opportunity to reach their international customers. This can be done through the emergency communication services provided by Starlink.
“Starlink would change their lives for the better.”
India rejects Elon’s monopoly accusations as political drama grows
India’s telecommunications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had none of this idea. In Friday’s press conference, he rebuffed the notion that it is rich businessmen who decide what companies can join India’s telecommunications market.
“India does not allow a monopoly in any sector.”
Starlink has been working for four years in setting up their commercial activities in India, where over a billion internet users present immense business potential.
Currently, the market is monopolized by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, owned by Ambani and Sunil Mittal respectively.
Curiously, SpaceX (SPCX) had already finalized the distribution deals with both the firms in March 2025. This was followed by Starlink receiving their license to operate in July 2025.
Yet customers still cannot subscribe.
However, the last barriers are related to security clearance and the allocation of radio frequency spectrums. According to Bloomberg, New Delhi had held back approvals due to worries of potential uncontrolled Starlink terminals.
On the other hand, Indian officials rejected claims made by the company on Thursday, arguing that all three licensed satellite service providers are under similar scrutiny.
The controversy quickly grabbed the attention of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who has continuously attacked India’s government for its excessive affection with the country’s industrialists. He told Elon: “Wait till you meet the other one.”
Rahul was apparently referring to billionaire Gautam Adani, another businessman he frequently criticizes. “This is indeed troubling,” said Elon.
Ambani has satellite plans of his own, and Tesla isn’t exactly thriving either
In the meantime, Jio is developing its satellite-based internet system. In June, Akash Ambani, son of Mukesh and managing director at Jio Platforms, announced the plans for a low earth orbit system by Jio.
According to local sources, there is a plan to create a system consisting of about 1,600 satellites and 23 ground stations.
Starlink currently has around 11,000 satellites covering more than 170 countries and territories.
“India needs its own indigenous stack of technologies.”
Akash made that argument Thursday during an interview with Reliance-owned Moneycontrol, emphasizing domestic technology development and affordable services.
And Starlink isn’t Elon’s only Indian headache.
Tesla (TSLA) has sold just over 1,000 vehicles since entering India in 2025. Monthly deliveries ranged between 29 and 69 from September 2025 through June 2026.
Sales finally improved in July, reaching 116 vehicles, compared with June’s 38. August recorded 117, followed by September’s record 291.
Between July and October 2, Tesla delivered 554 Model Ys, accounting for approximately 54% of its cumulative Indian sales.
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Jai Hamid
Jai Hamid has been covering crypto, stock markets, technology, the global economy, and the geopolitical events that affect markets for the past 6 years. She has worked with blockchain-focused publications including AMB Crypto, Coin Edition, and CryptoTale on market analyses, major companies, regulation, and macroeconomic trends. She has attended London School of Journalism and thrice shared crypto market insights on one of Africa’s top TV networks.
