SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has accused unnamed Indian business interests of preventing Starlink from beginning commercial operations in India, alleging that powerful players are trying to protect their dominance over the country’s internet market.

Musk made the allegations in posts on X on October 7, claiming Starlink was being obstructed to preserve what he described as a “monopolistic chokehold” over Indian consumers. He did not name any individual or company.

He also questioned why Starlink had not received final clearance despite spending years working with Indian authorities to meet regulatory requirements.

Centre rejects Musk’s allegations

The Ministry of Communications rejected the suggestion that Starlink was being treated differently from other satellite internet operators.

In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said India's regulatory framework for satellite communication services was fair and non-discriminatory, describing claims of preferential or discriminatory treatment as “baseless and misconceived”.

The government said three companies have received licences to provide satellite communication services in India and that all three are currently undergoing security assessments. According to the ministry, the operators are at broadly the same stage of the regulatory process.

Once the required security process is completed, a licensed operator can move to the next stage of seeking spectrum allocation.

Starlink still awaiting commercial launch

Starlink has obtained a licence to provide satellite communication services in India but has not yet begun commercial operations. Security clearances and spectrum allocation remain part of the process before services can be launched.

The company has spent several years seeking entry into the Indian market and has also developed infrastructure to support a potential rollout.

Musk has repeatedly argued that Starlink could help provide connectivity to people in remote and underserved areas. In another post, he said those opposing Starlink would ultimately hurt people with limited access to reliable internet.

Competition in satellite internet market

The dispute comes as India's satellite communication market takes shape, with Starlink competing for regulatory approval alongside other licensed operators, including Reliance Jio and OneWeb.

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel also have interests in the emerging satellite broadband sector. Airtel is associated with OneWeb, while Jio is developing its own satellite connectivity plans.

Musk's comments have therefore brought renewed attention to the balance between competition, security requirements and India's efforts to expand high-speed connectivity to underserved regions.

For now, the government maintains that Starlink and the other licensed operators are being subjected to the same regulatory and security process.