Elon Musk says Starlink's entry in India 'blocked' by oligarchs, alleges 'monopolistic chokehold'

Elon Musk on Wednesday alleged that Starlink’s entry into India is being “blocked” by certain oligarchs seeking to protect their “monopolistic chokehold” over the country’s people, escalating his criticism of obstacles facing the satellite internet service’s India launch.

“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 …,” Musk said in a post on X.

Also read: ET Exclusive: Elon Musk's Starlink reapplies for India approval of satellite network with direct-to-device tech


“This is a crime against the people of India!” the Tesla and SpaceX chief added, without naming the individuals or companies he accused of blocking Starlink’s entry into the Indian market.

Starlink renews India push with Gen 2 application

Musk’s comments come a little over a month after Starlink had renewed its efforts to enter India.

ET was the first to report on August 20 that Starlink had resubmitted an application with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for authorisation of its Gen 2 satellite constellation.

The application seeks approval for a constellation operating in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 340-615 km and incorporating newer capabilities, including direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, people aware of the details told ET.

IN-SPACe had earlier rejected Starlink’s application for its proposed 30,000-satellite constellation over non-conformity of certain features and spectrum bands. The regulator subsequently authorised Starlink’s Gen 1 constellation, comprising 4,408 satellites, in July 2025.

Starlink’s renewed application comes as India works through the regulatory framework for satellite communications, including spectrum allocation and the possible introduction of D2D services.

Also read: Starlink builds 20 gateway sites in India, says user data will stay in country

Regulatory hurdles, D2D rules key to Starlink launch

Satellite operators require IN-SPACe authorisation before starting services in India. However, commercial satellite services by non-geostationary satellite operators have yet to begin, with security clearances and spectrum allocation among the issues involved.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has already made recommendations on pricing for satellite spectrum, while the government is yet to take a final decision. Trai is also examining D2D services, which could allow satellite networks to supplement mobile connectivity directly to consumer devices.

D2D has emerged as a particularly sensitive issue for traditional telecom operators, which have argued that satellite companies offering such services should face comparable regulatory obligations.

Starlink is competing for a share of India’s emerging satellite communications market against players including Reliance Jio’s proposed low Earth orbit constellation, Amazon Leo and Eutelsat OneWeb.

SpaceX has plans for a much larger Gen 2 constellation of around 42,000 satellites globally, while its current India application seeks authorisation for nearly 30,000 satellites.

(With inputs from ET Bureau)