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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday (local time) described the situation surrounding Starlinks efforts to secure a commercial operating licence in India as troubling.
He was responding to Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who joined the ongoing conversation on X over Musks allegation that his satellite communications company has not received commercial operation licences in India despite complying with all Indian laws. "Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling," Musk said in a post on X. https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2108221292788981881 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. 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 are obstructing the company's entry into the Indian market. In an earlier post, Musk questioned the delay in granting Starlink a licence, saying the company was authorised to operate in more than 165 countries. "Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license? Is Ambani the real boss of India?" Musk wrote. In another post, responding to a user who outlined reasons why India needed Starlink, Musk alleged that powerful business interests were preventing the company from entering the market. "Unfortunately, we (Starlink) are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are... This is a crime against the people of India," he said. The Ministry of Communications had earlier rejected claims that vested interests were targeting Starlink's plans in India, maintaining that the country's regulatory framework for telecommunications services, including satellite communications, was fair and non-discriminatory. In its statement, the Ministry said telecom licences had been granted to three global mobile personal communication by satellite service providers operating through non-geosynchronous satellite orbit-based systems. It said all licensees were required to demonstrate compliance with prescribed security conditions to ensure the safety of users and their data. "The security assessment as part of this process is currently under way in respect of all three licensees," the Ministry said. It added that once the assessment was completed for a licensed entity, the company could proceed to the next step of seeking spectrum assignment. "At present, all three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage. As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the statement said. Meanwhile, Starlink Vice President of Business Operations Lauren Dreyer, speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2026 on October 7, said the company had developed India-specific security controls and was preparing to serve the Indian market. Dreyer said Starlink had invested in and built ground infrastructure in India, including 20 gateway sites equipped with hundreds of antennas, and had established operations to begin providing services. She also said the company was keeping Indian users' data within the country. "We're keeping Indian users' data within India," Dreyer said. According to Dreyer, Starlink had been working closely with Indian regulators, industry stakeholders and operators for the past five years to adapt its operations to India's requirements. The company has maintained that it has invested in the infrastructure and security arrangements needed to enter the Indian market, while the government has said the regulatory process remains subject to security assessments and spectrum assignment requirements. (ANI)
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