Elon Musk claims powerful interests are stalling Starlink's Indian launch

Elon Musk says powerful groups are preventing Starlink from starting service in India, calling it a crime against the public. He posted the allegation after a mail to the telecom department went unanswered. Starlink has secured official permission to operate satellite broadband in India, joining Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, but still needs spectrum slots, security clearances and foreign‑investment approvals before it can sell plans. The company has built 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas and says its data will stay within India, meeting local security rules. Starlink has also teamed up with Bharti Airtel; in March 2025 Airtel announced a deal to explore selling Starlink kits in its stores, offer the service to businesses, and use its ground network to reach schools, clinics and villages. Lauren Dreyer, vice‑president of Starlink Business Operations, told the India Mobile Congress that the service could bring internet to remote areas in minutes rather than years. Musk’s claim appeared the same day Dreyer highlighted the company’s readiness and its five‑year engagement with Indian regulators, operators and industry. Until the pending clearances are granted, commercial rollout remains on hold.

Context

Starlink’s push reflects a broader push to close the digital divide in rural India, where traditional mobile towers are hard to deploy. The partnership with Airtel aims to use existing ground infrastructure to speed up deployment once approvals are secured.