Elon Musk sarcastically calls Mukesh Ambani Prime Minister in fresh Starlink row jab

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has publicly targeted industrialist Mukesh Ambani in a series of social media posts, sarcastically addressing him as Prime Minister Ambani and accusing him of seeking to protect a monopoly against Starlink's entry into India.

Government Stand

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that India does not permit monopolies in any sector and that the Department of Telecommunications remains technology agnostic. Mr. Scindia noted that three entities have already secured satcom licences, including Starlink, Reliance Jio's Jio Satcom, and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, while Amazon's Kuiper has expressed interest. These licensed players can start operations individually after fulfilling security conditions and once the government finalizes the spectrum pricing regime.

Context

Satellite communication services allow internet access to be beamed directly from space to small dish antennas, making it especially useful for remote areas lacking traditional cable or mobile tower infrastructure. This regulatory debate in India highlights the fierce competition between global satellite providers and established domestic telecom giants over the country's fast-growing digital market.