Elon Musk Cracks Joke on Ambani and Slams India Starlink Delay Again

Elon Musk has renewed his social media criticism over delays in launching his satellite internet service, Starlink, in India. In a post on X, Musk sarcastically addressed Mukesh Ambani as the "real boss of India" and asked if he would consider letting Starlink compete. Musk claimed that local internet monopolies exploit citizens and block better access.

Context And Details

Musk argued that Starlink would help children in remote areas get an education and let small businesses sell goods globally. He also stated that his service saves lives during natural disasters when other networks fail. Earlier in the week, Musk blamed unnamed oligarchs for blocking the service and called it a crime. The Ministry of Communications stated that the regulatory framework for telecom services is fair and non-discriminatory. The ministry added that security assessments by the Home Ministry are underway for all three licence holders, putting them at the same stage. Starlink, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd have received GMPCS licences and statutory approvals. Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal dismissed Musk's claims by pointing out that his own venture is also waiting for approvals. Starlink previously received an operator licence from the Department of Telecommunications and authorisation from IN-SPACe. The government has held back final clearance due to security concerns over foreign operators potentially bypassing Indian gateways. Meanwhile, Reliance Jio is building a low earth satellite network costing ten to fifteen billion dollars.