SpaceX founder Elon Musk has accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s entry into India, even as a senior company executive said the satellite internet service was ready to begin operations once it receives the necessary government clearances.
“Unfortunately, we 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!” Musk said in a post on X on Wednesday.
Musk did not name anyone in the post. His remarks were sharper than the company’s message at the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi, where Lauren Dreyer, vice-president, Starlink Business Operations, said the company had spent five years working with Indian regulators, telecom operators and industry to prepare for its launch.
“We’ve built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of Indian security requirements and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India and keeping Indian user data within India,” Dreyer said at the pre-business day of the event.
She said Starlink had already invested in India and built 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas. “We’ve established the operations to be ready to serve India,” she said.
Starlink holds a licence to provide satellite communication services in India. However, commercial operations have not yet begun as the company awaits government clearances, including security approvals.
Dreyer said the company had signed MoUs with Airtel, Jio and others, and was working with state governments on how satellite broadband could complement existing connectivity.
Starlink currently serves more than 170 countries, she said. Satellite connectivity could help bridge India’s digital divide by reaching areas where fibre deployment is difficult, she added.
Dreyer cited potential uses such as connecting students in remote Himalayan villages to digital classrooms, enabling telemedicine in the Northeast and quickly restoring connectivity in disaster-hit areas. Satellite links could also help mobile operators connect 4G and 5G towers in areas where laying fibre is difficult.
She also pointed to existing cooperation between SpaceX and India’s space sector, including satellite launches for Indian space companies and SpaceX’s role in carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to and from the International Space Station.
“We’re standing ready to serve India once India is ready,” Dreyer said, adding that Starlink was ready to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of 100% connectivity across India.
