Elon Musk targets Mukesh Ambani over Starlink delay and political funding reports

Elon Musk has shared social media reports on X alleging that a Reliance-funded firm helped boost BJP campaigns and that a Reliance-linked company donated large sums to political parties through electoral bonds. The posts highlight a 2022 Al Jazeera report on social media campaigns and a 2024 Indian Express report stating that Qwik Supply donated ₹385 crore to the BJP and ₹25 crore to the Shiv Sena.

The Clash

This follows Mr. Musk's sharp criticism of Mukesh Ambani over delays in launching Starlink satellite broadband services in India. Mr. Musk addressed Mr. Ambani as Prime Minister on X, accusing him of protecting a monopoly and blocking services to maintain market dominance. He stated that many areas in India lack internet access, which harms children's education and small business growth. He also noted that Starlink helps save lives during natural disasters when other communication systems fail.

Government Response

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that India does not permit monopolies in any sector. He noted that three entities, including Mr. Musk's Starlink, Reliance Jio's satellite venture Jio Satcom, and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, have already secured licences. Amazon's Project Kuiper has also expressed interest. Mr. Scindia explained that these operators can start operations after meeting security requirements and milestones, while TRAI and the telecom department finalise the pricing regime for spectrum.

Context

Satellite communication services use low-Earth orbit satellites to provide internet access to remote and hard-to-reach areas where traditional fiber-optic cables cannot easily go. The Indian government regulates these services through telecom authorities to ensure security compliance and fair market competition.