Elon Musk has questioned the influence of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, escalating a dispute over SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service in India. Musk accused unnamed 'oligarchs' of blocking Starlink's launch, claiming they maintain a 'monopolistic chokehold' on the country. The Indian Ministry of Communications pushed back, stating its regulatory framework is 'fair and non-discriminatory.' Starlink has spent years navigating Indian regulations but has yet to begin commercial services despite securing key approvals and partnerships with telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Musk's comments came during a turbulent period for Starlink in India, which had to refund preorders after the Indian government criticized it for offering satellite internet services before obtaining necessary licenses. The company has also clashed with India's largest telecom operators over satellite spectrum allocation. Meanwhile, Jio and Airtel are pursuing their own satellite internet services, positioning themselves as competitors to Starlink. Despite the delays, SpaceX is optimistic, having launched Starlink Mobile in Bangladesh this week.

Starlink has already established more than 20 gateway sites and hundreds of antennas in India, adapting its operations to meet the country's regulatory, security, and data-sovereignty requirements. The company argues its satellite network complements, rather than replaces, India's terrestrial telecom networks. The timing of Starlink's India launch remains unclear, with the Indian government still conducting security assessments on Starlink and two other satellite operators.