SpaceX founder Elon Musk made a public case on Sunday for launching Starlink across India, contending that additional market rivalry would primarily benefit everyday Indian consumers by expanding broadband options. Musk brushed aside concerns about Reliance Industries, asserting that Mukesh Ambani’s enterprise would easily survive even if its profit margins took a slight hit.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Musk pushed back against pushback from Ambani’s camp, labeling their narrative contradictory. He pointed out the inconsistency in claiming that Starlink could never match the ultra-affordable rates of India’s telecom incumbents, while simultaneously arguing that the satellite broadband service poses too formidable a competitive threat.
The comments underscore mounting tension surrounding bureaucratic delays facing Starlink’s commercial rollout in the country. Musk had escalated rhetoric days earlier with a sarcastic jab, facetiously dubbing Ambani the true leader of India while mockingly appealing for permission to operate without monopolistic roadblocks.
