Musk hits back at Ambani supporters over Starlink's India entry
What's the story
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said that his satellite internet company, Starlink, will benefit Indian consumers by providing them with more options. He dismissed arguments made by Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani's supporters against Starlink's entry into India as "absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole." Musk took to X to respond to the arguments and emphasized that while Ambani's profits may decrease due to competition, he won't go out of business.
Twitter Post
Musk responds to Ambani supporters' claims
The ridiculous arguments by Ambani’s army of Internet shills make no sense
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 10, 2026
On the one hand, they say Starlink couldn’t possibly compete with the amazing low prices offered by Ambani’s de facto monopoly in India and then, in the same breath, they essentially claim that Starlink… https://t.co/hKfeUKg6VY
Service affordability
Starlink will need to keep pricing affordable in India
Musk also stressed that Starlink would have to keep its services affordable to attract customers in India.
He said, "And, obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable."
His comments come amid a dispute over the delay in Starlink's commercial rollout in India.
Monopolistic exploitation
Musk previously mocked Ambani, called him 'Prime Minister Ambani'
Musk had previously mocked Ambani, calling him "Prime Minister Ambani" and accusing him of being the "real boss of India."
He wrote that Ambani would naturally want to maintain his monopolistic hold over the Indian market but asked whether he would still consider allowing Starlink to compete.
Musk also renewed his appeal for the Indian government to approve Starlink's operations in the country, highlighting that many regions in India still lack internet connectivity.
Regulatory hurdles
Indian government rejects Musk's claims
The Indian government has rejected Musk's claims, saying that the delay is due to pending regulatory and security requirements.
Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India won't allow a monopoly in any sector and three satellite communication operators have been licensed: Reliance Jio Satcom, Bharti Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, and Starlink.
However, the government has said security clearances are still pending for these operators.