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India Rejects Musk’s Claim Starlink Is Being Blocked
Elon Musk says powerful business interests are stopping Starlink from starting service in India.
India’s government says that is not true and that the rules apply equally to all satellite internet companies.
It says Starlink, Jio and Airtel are all going through security checks.
Companies must complete these checks before moving to the next approval step.
Starlink has been waiting about four years to start selling its service in India.
SpaceX has made agreements with Jio and Airtel, but no Starlink service has launched there yet.
Indian authorities also said they found Starlink devices during two operations in 2024.
Musk said Starlink’s signals were never active over India.
India said its telecom authorisation framework is fair and non-discriminatory, rejecting Musk’s claim that business interests are blocking Starlink.
The government said security assessments are underway for all three licensed satellite service providers, which it described as at broadly similar stages.
Starlink has waited around four years to begin commercial operations in India, while Jio and Airtel are also awaiting further clearances.
SpaceX signed separate agreements with Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel in 2025 to distribute Starlink equipment and services; neither service has launched commercially.
Indian authorities said Starlink devices were found in separate operations in late 2024, while Musk said the service’s satellite beams had never been on over India.
- Who
- Elon Musk and SpaceX’s Starlink; India’s Ministry of Communications; satellite service providers Jio and Airtel.
- What
- India rejected Musk’s claim that unnamed business interests are blocking Starlink, saying all three licensed providers are undergoing security assessments.
- Where
- India.
- When
- Musk made the accusation on Wednesday (7); the ministry responded on Thursday (8). The article also cites incidents in late 2024 and agreements in 2025.
- Why
- Musk alleged that business interests sought to protect their dominance; India said its regulatory framework is fair and non-discriminatory.
Musk’s allegation
India’s response
Fairness of the approval process
Musk’s allegation
Musk alleged that unnamed oligarchs were blocking Starlink to protect their dominance in India’s telecom market.
India’s response
India said the suggestion of unfair or discriminatory treatment is baseless and that its authorisation framework applies fairly to all providers.
Treatment of satellite providers
Musk’s allegation
Musk’s accusation implies Starlink is being prevented from entering the market.
India’s response
The government said security assessments are underway for all three licensed providers, placing them at broadly the same regulatory stage.
Starlink signals over India
Musk’s allegation
Musk said Starlink’s satellite beams had been turned off over India and were never on in the first place.
India’s response
The article does not report a direct government response to Musk’s statement about whether Starlink signals were active.
Key facts
- Providers undergoing assessments
- Three licensed satellite service providers: Starlink, Jio and Airtel, as identified in the article.
- Regulatory status
- Security assessments are underway; providers may proceed to the next step when their assessment is complete.
- Starlink wait
- Around four years to begin commercial operations in India.
- Commercial launches
- Neither Starlink service covered by the Jio and Airtel agreements has launched commercially in India.
- 2025 agreements
- SpaceX signed separate agreements with Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel to distribute Starlink equipment and services.
- Security incidents
- Authorities said devices were found in a drug seizure in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and during an Army search in Manipur in late 2024.
- Market forecast
- Deloitte forecast India’s satellite broadband market could be worth $1.9 billion by 2030.
Quotes
India’s Ministry of Communications
Indian government ministry responsible for communications.
“The Department of Telecom has issued licences to all satcom companies as well as provisional spectrum. Now the issue is pending with MHA for security clearance. As soon as it is cleared, they will get it. It has nothing to do with one company”
theprint.in
“Starlink in India would enable high-speed, affordable internet connectivity for those who can’t afford current prices or who don’t have a connection at all!”
theprint.in
Sources
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