Elon Musk has renewed his criticism of the regulatory process for launching Starlink’s satellite internet services in India, this time directly referring to Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. Musk questioned why Starlink has not yet received permission to begin commercial operations despite years of engagement with Indian regulators and efforts to comply with the country’s requirements. He also asked on social media whether Ambani was “the real boss of India”, escalating a dispute that has drawn a response from the government.

Musk wrote on X that Starlink is licensed in more than 165 countries and claimed the company had spent five years complying with “every single law and requirement” of the Indian government. He then questioned why the company was still without a licence to operate in the country. In a separate post, Musk asked, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” The remark brought Ambani and Reliance Jio directly into a debate that had previously focused on unnamed business interests allegedly opposing Starlink’s entry into the Indian market.

The latest comments came hours after the Ministry of Communications rejected Musk’s earlier allegation that oligarchs were preventing Starlink from entering India. In a statement issued through the Press Information Bureau, the government said India’s regulatory framework for satellite communications was “fair and non-discriminatory”. It described suggestions that the framework was designed to disadvantage Starlink as “baseless and misconceived”. The government’s response followed Musk’s earlier claim that certain unnamed business groups were seeking to preserve their position in the Indian telecom market.

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Musk had previously alleged that Starlink was being blocked by “certain oligarchs” to maintain what he described as a “monopolistic chokehold” over Indian consumers. At that stage, he did not identify any individual or company. His latest reference to Ambani, however, has brought Reliance Jio into the dispute, although Musk has not provided evidence in the supplied statement that Ambani or Jio is responsible for delaying Starlink’s commercial launch.

India’s telecom market includes major operators such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, both of which are also connected to the emerging satellite communications sector. Jio is seeking to provide satellite connectivity services in India, while Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb is another company pursuing opportunities in the country. Starlink’s entry would therefore place another major satellite internet provider in a market where established telecom companies are developing competing services.

The dispute now centres on Starlink’s pending commercial launch and the regulatory conditions governing satellite communications in India. Musk has continued to question the delay publicly, while the government has rejected allegations that its framework is discriminatory. With Starlink maintaining that it has worked for years to meet Indian requirements, the company’s commercial entry remains dependent on the regulatory process and the approvals required to begin operations.

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