'Dear Prime Minister Ambani': Elon Musk steps up attack on Ambani over Starlink's India entry
PTC News Desk: Elon Musk has stepped up his criticism of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s proposed entry into India. In his latest remarks, Musk sarcastically referred to Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” and accused him of trying to protect his dominant position in the Indian market.
In a post on X, Musk wrote, “Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India,” taking a dig at the industrialist amid the ongoing dispute over the regulatory framework governing satellite communication services in India.
Musk alleged that Ambani wanted to continue what he called the “monopolistic exploitation” of Indian consumers. He also questioned whether Ambani would allow Starlink to enter the country and compete with existing internet service providers.
Dear Prime Minister Ambani,
Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India.
Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?
There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better.
Thank you ????
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 9, 2026
Highlighting Starlink’s potential benefits, Musk said many areas in India, as in other countries, still lack internet access. He argued that this limits educational opportunities for children and makes it difficult for small businesses to sell their products globally. According to Musk, Starlink could improve lives by bringing internet connectivity to these areas.
“Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Musk said.
The latest comments come amid an ongoing exchange of criticism over Starlink’s proposed launch in India. Musk had earlier accused unnamed business groups of trying to block the service to protect their control over the Indian market.
The Indian government has rejected allegations of unfair treatment, saying it follows a fair and non-discriminatory approval process for telecommunications services, including satellite communications. Officials have also stated that three satellite communication service providers are at broadly similar stages of the regulatory process.
Earlier, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India does not permit monopolies in any sector.
Scindia pointed out that three companies had already received satellite communication licences and said the debate appeared to focus on one particular company. He added that all licensed operators must meet the required security standards before launching their services.
“India doesn't allow monopoly in any sector,” Scindia said, stressing that satellite communication companies could begin operations only after fulfilling the necessary security and regulatory requirements.
Explaining the next steps, the minister said the three licence holders would be allocated spectrum after the government finalised the mechanism for revenue sharing or related charges.
He also clarified that obtaining a licence does not automatically allow a company to start operations. Companies must first comply with all mandatory security norms and other regulatory conditions.
- PTC NEWS
