Elon Musk has escalated his criticism regarding Starlink’s delayed India launch by naming Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, hours after New Delhi rejected claims that its satellite approval process was discriminatory.“Is Ambani the real boss of India?” Musk asked on X on Thursday, pointing out that his satellite internet service had spent five years complying with Indian requirements but was still unable to begin commercial operations. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is India’s largest privately-owned conglomerate, with interests in oil-to-chemicals, telecommunications, retail, media, and green energy. He is also India’s second richest man, with a net worth of $86.3 billion, according to Forbes. Musk’s tweet drew in Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who replied: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.” Gandhi seemed to be targeting India’s richest man, Gautam Adani, with the “other guy” remark. Adani hails from the same state as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Gandhi has repeatedly accused him of receiving favorable treatment from the government.
Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling.
The world’s richest man had, a day earlier, accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink in order to maintain a “monopolistic chokehold” over Indian consumers. On Thursday, he also sent out a volley of retweets that echoed his views on Starlink’s utility to India. His outburst coincided with the 10th edition of the Indian Mobile Congress that Modi inaugurated in New Delhi.Starlink, Ambani’s Jio Satellite Communications, and Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb are all at broadly the same stage of regulatory approval for satellite internet connectivity in the country, with security assessments underway, according to India’s Communications Ministry.Starlink has to complete the security assessment, and spectrum assignment, before it can start commercial services, although it holds an Indian telecom license and authorization for its satellite constellation.
The company has built 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas in India and introduced India-specific security controls designed to keep Indian users’ data within the country, its Vice President Lauren Dreyer said at the India Mobile Congress just before Musk ignited the fireworks on X.
Reliance Jio did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musk’s latest remarks.Musk and Ambani have previously been on opposing sides of India’s satellite-spectrum policy. Reliance had pushed for satellite spectrum to be auctioned, arguing that it would ensure a level playing field, while Starlink favored administrative allocation. New Delhi ultimately adopted the administrative route.
Jio is itself preparing a competing low-Earth-orbit satellite network. RT reported in June that the Indian telecom giant plans a constellation of around 1,600 satellites, potentially costing up to $15 billion, as it seeks to expand from terrestrial broadband into satellite connectivity.
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