Musk says Indian oligarchs are blocking Starlink as licences await clearance

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, said on Wednesday that Starlink is being "blocked by certain oligarchs" in India to keep a monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. He posted the claim while noting that the satellite‑internet service is still waiting for final regulatory approvals. Musk’s comment followed a mail to the Department of Telecommunications that had not received a reply at the time of publishing. He called the blockage a crime against the Indian public. Starlink already holds a government licence to offer satellite communication services in India, alongside Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. The licence does not yet allow commercial operations because spectrum allocation, security clearances and foreign‑investment approvals are still pending. The company has partnered with Bharti Airtel. In March 2025 Airtel announced an agreement with SpaceX to explore selling Starlink equipment in its stores, provide the service to business customers, and use Airtel’s ground network to reach rural schools, health centres and communities. Lauren Dreyer, vice‑president of Starlink Business Operations, told the India Mobile Congress that Starlink’s Indian setup meets local security rules, keeps user data within the country and has built 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas. She said the firm is ready to serve once India grants the remaining clearances, adding that the service can connect users in minutes rather than years.

Context

Starlink’s push in India reflects the broader race to bring high‑speed internet to underserved areas, while navigating the country’s strict telecom licensing and security requirements.