Zillar Barta Desk,New Delhi: SpaceX founder and Starlink chief Elon Musk has accused unnamed “oligarchs” of allegedly blocking the satellite internet service’s entry into India in order to protect what he described as a “monopolistic chokehold” over Indian consumers.
Musk made the remarks in a post on X on Wednesday while responding to a social media post highlighting connectivity gaps in parts of India. Without naming any individual company or business group, Musk wrote, “Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are … This is a crime against the people of India!”
The comments came on the same day that a senior Starlink executive said the company is operationally prepared to begin services in India once the remaining government approvals are secured.
Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, said at the India Mobile Congress that the company has already invested substantially in its Indian infrastructure. According to her, Starlink has established more than 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas and has designed its operations to comply with Indian security and regulatory requirements.
Dreyer said Starlink has also put measures in place to ensure that Indian users’ data remains within the country. She indicated that the company has spent years working with Indian regulators, telecom operators and other stakeholders to prepare for a potential launch.
Starlink has already received important regulatory approvals to provide satellite communication services in India. However, commercial operations have yet to begin, with the company awaiting additional clearances, including security-related approvals and other regulatory requirements. Spectrum allocation is also required before satellite broadband services can be commercially launched.
Starlink is not alone in waiting for the final go-ahead. Other satellite communication providers, including Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, are also awaiting necessary approvals and spectrum-related decisions before launching commercial services.
Musk’s latest comments have added a sharper tone to the ongoing debate over Starlink’s delayed entry into the Indian market. While he suggested that unnamed business interests were responsible for blocking the company, he did not provide evidence identifying any specific company or individual in his post.
The issue has emerged as India continues to expand its digital infrastructure and seeks to improve connectivity in remote and difficult-to-reach regions. Starlink uses a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide broadband connectivity, potentially offering an alternative in locations where conventional fibre or mobile infrastructure can be difficult to deploy.
Starlink has also entered into arrangements with major Indian telecom companies. In March 2025, SpaceX signed agreements with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio aimed at exploring ways to distribute Starlink equipment and provide satellite connectivity to businesses and rural communities.
As the regulatory process continues, Starlink says it is ready to begin operations once the remaining approvals are completed. Musk’s latest remarks, however, indicate growing frustration over the delay and have brought renewed attention to the competitive and regulatory challenges surrounding satellite internet services in India.
