The Indian government has rejected Elon Musk’s allegation that powerful business interests are obstructing Starlink’s entry into the country, defending its satellite communication approval process as fair and non-discriminatory.
In a statement issued on October 8, 2026, the Ministry of Communications said three satellite communication service providers were at broadly the same regulatory stage. Their security assessments were still underway, and the ministry described claims of unfair or discriminatory treatment as “baseless and misconceived.”
Musk, the head of SpaceX, had alleged on social media that unnamed “oligarchs” were preventing Starlink from entering India to protect their market dominance. He argued that the satellite internet service could provide high-speed connectivity to people in remote areas and those without reliable internet access.
The government said telecom licences had been granted to three providers offering satellite communication services using non-geostationary satellite orbits. Each licensee must meet specified security requirements before progressing to the next stage of approval.
The companies include Starlink, Reliance Jio’s satellite venture and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb. All three are awaiting the completion of security assessments, after which eligible operators can move towards spectrum assignment.
India’s regulatory scrutiny reflects the need to protect communication networks and user data while expanding connectivity. Satellite internet could help serve locations where traditional mobile towers and fibre-optic networks are difficult to deploy, but operators must comply with domestic requirements.
The dispute highlights growing competition in India’s emerging satellite broadband market. Starlink’s commercial launch will depend on completing the necessary security procedures and obtaining the remaining regulatory approvals.

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