Elon Musk has questioned the influence of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani as SpaceX struggles to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country. Musk’s comments, posted on X, escalate a dispute over regulatory delays after the Indian government rejected his claims that powerful business interests were blocking its entry.

Musk accused unnamed “oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s launch in India to maintain their “monopolistic chokehold” on the country, without identifying them or providing evidence for his claim. He called the alleged blocking a “crime against the people of India” and argued that Starlink could bring affordable, high-speed internet to people who lack access.

Hours later, India’s Ministry of Communications pushed back, saying its regulatory framework for satellite communications is “fair and non-discriminatory.” The ministry said in a statement that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are all at “broadly the same regulatory stage.” It added that all three companies are undergoing security assessments that must be completed before they can seek spectrum, the radio frequencies that satellites use to send signals.

Musk went further on Thursday, questioning Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani’s influence. He tweeted: “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” after claiming that Starlink had spent years complying with Indian regulations and questioning why it still lacked a license. The company has spent more than five years trying to enter India, a market with more than a billion internet subscribers, despite securing key regulatory approvals and partnering with telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel last year.

Starlink said it already has more than 20 gateway sites and hundreds of antennas on the ground in India, and has adapted its operations to meet the country’s regulatory, security, and data-sovereignty requirements. SpaceX has positioned its satellite network as a complement to India’s terrestrial telecom networks.