‘Competition would greatly benefit average Indian’: Elon Musk takes a fresh swipe at Ambani over Starlink’s entry
Billionaire Elon Musk doubled down on his push to launch Starlink's satellite internet services in India, asserting that “competition would greatly benefit the average citizen”.
In the latest tweet amid his very public dispute with Ambani, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO pointed out the “absurd hypocrisy” over “de facto monopoly”.
In a detailed tweet, tech founder Aaron Burnett wrote: “Something feels off with this chorus of ‘India’s internet is great and super cheap’ … the data shows that the Indian market is absolutely dominated by mobile. When they say it's cheap and well connected factually this only applies to mobile usage. This makes sense because a tower...”
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
1
Why does Elon Musk say Starlink competition would benefit Indian consumers?⌵Musk says competition would give people more choices. He argues that it could benefit consumers even if it reduces Ambani’s profits.
2
How could Starlink help areas in India with limited internet access?⌵Musk says satellite broadband could help reach areas with poor or no internet and mobile coverage. He argues this could support children’s education and help small businesses reach global markets.
3
What is delaying Starlink’s launch in India?⌵The debate includes how spectrum for satellite communication services should be assigned. According to the government, operators can start services once spectrum is assigned and they meet the required security conditions.
4
How does India plan to allocate spectrum for satellite internet services?⌵Traditional telecom companies support auctioning spectrum, while Starlink and other foreign entities favour administrative allocation. The government has said spectrum will be assigned under its chosen system.
5
Can Starlink start operating in India now?⌵The articles say Starlink has received a licence, but services can begin only after spectrum is assigned and required security conditions are met. The articles do not say those steps have been completed.
Responding directly to Burnett’s post on Sunday, Musk said, “The ridiculous arguments by Ambani's army of Internet shills make no sense.”
“On the one hand, they say Starlink couldn't possibly compete with the amazing low prices offered by Ambani's de facto monopoly in India and then, in the same breath, they essentially claim that Starlink would be too strong of a competitor!” Musk wrote, highlighting the contradictions. He dismissed these arguments as “absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole.”
Addressing concerns that Starlink might disrupt local telecom giants, Musk said, “The reality is that competition would greatly benefit the average citizen in India by giving them more choices, as it always does.”
He bluntly added, “Ambani's profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business.”
This latest post continues a fierce war of words that began earlier in the week.
On October 9, Musk made headlines with a sarcastic post aimed directly at the Reliance head. “Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realising that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote.
In that earlier post, he accused Ambani of engaging in “monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India” and urged him to allow Starlink to compete.
Musk argued that vast swathes of India still lack reliable internet connectivity, and satellite broadband like Starlink could bridge that gap. This, he noted, would provide children in underserved areas with critical educational opportunities and enable small businesses to access global markets.
The backdrop to this escalating feud is the ongoing debate over how India will allocate spectrum for satellite communication services. While traditional Indian telecom players advocate for auctioning the spectrum to ensure a level playing field, foreign entities like Starlink favour administrative allocation.
Addressing the controversy and allegations of favouritism, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently clarified the government's stance, stating that India does not allow a monopoly in any sector.
Scindia noted that the Department of Telecommunications is "technology agnostic" and pointed out that licenses have been granted to multiple players, including Jio, OneWeb, and Starlink.
Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.
Get Latest real-time updates
Catch all the Business News , Corporate news , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More
✕
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.