Centre Rejects Musk’s ‘Oligarchs’ Claim, Says Starlink Rules In India Are Fair And Non-Discriminatory

The Centre on Thursday rejected allegations of regulatory bias in India’s satellite communication sector, saying the framework governing satellite services is “fair and non-discriminatory”.

The clarification came a day after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk alleged that “certain oligarchs” were preventing Starlink from launching its services in India.

In a statement issued through the Press Information Bureau, the Ministry of Communications said licences have been granted to three satellite communication companies, all of which are required to comply with security conditions. Their security assessments are currently in progress.

“At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage,” the ministry said, describing allegations of discrimination as “baseless and misconceived”.

What Did Elon Musk Say?

Musk had alleged on X that Starlink was being blocked in India to protect what he described as a “monopolistic chokehold” over consumers.

His remarks came in response to a post arguing that Starlink’s satellite-based internet service could help provide high-speed connectivity to underserved and remote areas.

The comments have brought renewed attention to the regulatory hurdles facing satellite internet providers seeking to enter the Indian market.

Why Has Starlink Not Started Services Yet?

Starlink has secured a licence to provide satellite internet services in India but has yet to begin commercial operations.

According to a Bloomberg report, the company is still awaiting security clearances and spectrum allocation before it can launch its services commercially.

India has so far granted satellite communication licences to three companies — SpaceX’s Starlink, Reliance-backed Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb.

However, none of the three has yet launched a full-scale commercial satellite communication service in the country, Bloomberg reported.

Centre Says Companies Are At Similar Regulatory Stage

The Communications Ministry’s statement sought to counter the perception that Starlink was facing a different regulatory treatment from its competitors.

The government said all three licensed entities are subject to the required security conditions and that their assessments are underway. It maintained that the companies are broadly at the same stage of the regulatory process.

The clarification comes as India works to establish rules for the rapidly expanding satellite internet sector, with Starlink’s proposed entry expected to increase competition in the country’s broadband market.