Topline
India’s government on Thursday dismissed Elon Musk’s claims that “certain oligarchs” were blocking the rollout of his Starlink satellite internet service in the country, and said it has put “fair and non-discriminatory” regulations in place to approve satellite communication services.
SpaceXAI CEO Elon Musk claimed that “certain oligarchs” were blocking the launch of Starlink’s internet services in India.
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Key Facts
The ministry said three satellite communications operators have received telecom licenses and all of them are currently “undergoing security assessment” as part of the approval process.
Starlink is one of the three providers who received the initial license from the government in January this year.
The government statement added that all three companies are “broadly the same regulatory stage” and any suggestions of unfair or discriminatory regulation is “baseless and misconceived.”
What Did Musk Say About Starlink India Launch?
On Wednesday, Musk reshared a post on X, arguing that India needs Starlink, and wrote: “Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people…This is a crime against the people of India!” The trillionaire didn’t name anyone in particular but wrote: “You can guess who they are.” Musk also pushed back against claims that militants in northeastern India were using Starlink, saying: “Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false.”
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