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Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday criticised the Congress over its stance on Starlink's licence to operate in India, saying the government was clear about its policy and that three companies had been granted licences.
He said the government would assign spectrum to the companies on a revenue-sharing basis once the framework was decided. Speaking at the 10th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2026 in the national capital, Scindia said, "I have already defined the government's stand, the government's policy, and I have mentioned to you that there are three parties who have the license. There's not a single party. And as far as the Congress party is concerned, I don't understand. I don't think they themselves know whether they are going left or right. They first had a problem initially with a certain person getting a license. He added that the companies could begin operations after individually fulfilling the security conditions. Now they have a problem, and they have allied with that person in terms of why he's not getting the license. So I don't know whether they have clarity in terms of where they are going. But that is the case with the Congress, which is to be expected. We are very clear on our stand. There are three parties that have got a license. As and when the government decides the charge system on the revenue basis, that spectrum will be assigned to them, and as and when they individually fulfill the security conditions, then they can start operations, he further said. His remarks come in the backdrop of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk calling the situation surrounding Starlink's efforts to enter the Indian market "troubling." Rahul Gandhi had earlier replied to Musk's post, which claimed that Starlink was unable to secure a licence despite complying with Indian laws and requirements for five years. "Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy," Gandhi wrote on X. In response, Musk posted, "Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling." The exchange comes amid a public debate over the regulatory process for Starlink, SpaceX's satellite-based internet service, and Musk's allegations that vested interests were obstructing the company's entry into the Indian market. Earlier in the day, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram weighed in on the online exchange between Rahul Gandhi and Musk, stating that Gandhis remarks were "laced with great sarcasm" to highlight how the central government fosters "monopolies and oligarchy." He asserted that Gandhi's underlying message had been lost on many people, explaining that the Congress leader was pointing out how certain corporate entities wield immense influence over government policy. "I've seen the comments of Mr. Elon Musk and Mr. Rahul Gandhi as well. Mr. Rahul Gandhi's comment is very subtle, laced with great sarcasm, and unfortunately, that's been lost on most people," Chidambaram told ANI. (ANI)
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