Musk mocks Ambani over delays to Starlink launch in India

SpaceX chief Elon Musk has stepped up his criticism of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani over delays to the launch of his Starlink satellite internet service in India, sarcastically addressing the tycoon as “Prime Minister Ambani” in a post on X.

SpaceX chief Elon Musk has stepped up his criticism of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani over delays to the launch of his Starlink satellite internet service in India, sarcastically addressing the tycoon as “Prime Minister Ambani” in a post on X.

Musk accused Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, of seeking to preserve his company’s dominance in India’s telecommunications market and questioned whether Starlink would be allowed to compete. Musk provided no evidence that Ambani had personally blocked the service’s launch.

“Dear Prime Minister Ambani,

Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote in the post on Friday.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2108604227643719745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2108604227643719745%7Ctwgr%5Ec0b16a428bcf43de8e4194fc85a94b890a0f0e4e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenews.com.pk%2Flatest%2F1419390-elon-musk-calls-mukesh-ambani-prime-minister-in-starlink-row

“Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” he added.

Musk argued that Starlink could bring internet access to underserved areas, giving children greater educational opportunities and helping small businesses reach international markets.

He also said the satellite service had helped save lives during natural disasters when other communications systems failed, arguing that its availability could benefit people across India.

Ambani heads Reliance Industries, which owns Reliance Jio, one of India’s largest telecommunications operators. Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, is seeking to enter the Indian market, but its commercial launch remains subject to regulatory requirements.

India’s government has rejected allegations that powerful business interests are blocking Starlink, saying the country’s satellite communications rules are fair and non-discriminatory. Officials have said operators must meet security requirements and other conditions before launching services.