Starlink row heats up as India rejects Musk’s ‘oligarch’ claim over launch delay

NEW DELHI: Elon Musk may have pointed fingers, but the Indian government says there is no preferential hand on the regulatory wheel. The Government of India on Thursday rejected Musk’s allegation that “certain oligarchs” are blocking Starlink’s entry into India, maintaining that the country’s framework for satellite communication services is fair and non-discriminatory.

The clarification came a day after Musk, the chief of Starlink parent SpaceX, alleged on X that vested interests were preventing the satellite internet service from launching in the country.

“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 posted on X on 7 October.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the government said India has established a “fair and non-discriminatory” authorisation framework covering all telecommunications services, including satellite communication.

The government said telecom licences have been granted to three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) service providers using non-geostationary satellite orbit-based systems.

According to the government, the licensing framework requires every such licensee to demonstrate compliance with prescribed security conditions. These requirements are intended to ensure that satellite communication services meet security standards and protect users and their data.

The government said the security assessment process is currently under way for all three licensees.

Once the assessment is completed for a licensed entity, it can proceed to the next stage of seeking assignment of spectrum, the government said.

Importantly, it added that all three entities are currently at “broadly the same regulatory stage”.

This, according to the government, counters the suggestion that Starlink is being singled out or deliberately held back from entering the Indian market.

The government described the allegation that India’s regulatory framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory as “baseless and misconceived”.

Starlink has been seeking to enter India’s satellite broadband market as it expands its global footprint. However, its commercial launch depends on completing the regulatory and security requirements applicable to satellite communication operators in the country.

The government’s response therefore shifts the focus from alleged industry opposition to the formal regulatory process, with security assessments and subsequent spectrum assignment remaining key steps before services can begin.

For now, New Delhi’s position is clear: Starlink is not being subjected to a separate rulebook, and the government says all three licensed satellite communication players are moving through essentially the same regulatory process.