The Musk Ambani Starlink row has taken a sharper political turn. Elon Musk on Saturday stepped up his attack on Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani, sharing screenshots of media reports alleging links between Reliance-connected firms and donations to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The posts on X featured a 2022 Al Jazeera report headlined “How a Reliance-funded firm boosts BJP’s campaigns on Facebook”, alongside an archived 2024 Indian Express report on Qwik Supply. The Express report said the Reliance-linked firm had donated ₹385 crore to the BJP and ₹25 crore to the Shiv Sena through electoral bonds.
Musk Ambani Starlink dispute: ‘Prime Minister Ambani’
The screenshots landed hours after Musk had sarcastically addressed Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” in an open letter on X. “Please accept my humble apologies for not realising that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote, accusing the billionaire of trying to protect a monopoly.
“Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” he added.
The immediate trigger is the long delay in Starlink’s commercial launch in India. Musk’s SpaceX unit has waited roughly four years to bring its satellite broadband service to a market of more than a billion internet users. Musk accuses Ambani, whose Reliance Jio dominates Indian mobile networks alongside Bharti Airtel, of using political influence to block Starlink’s entry by pushing for a spectrum auction. India has instead opted for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum.
Delhi rejects the monopoly charge
India’s government has pushed back firmly. Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday that “India does not allow monopolies in any sector”, responding to Musk’s suggestion that Ambani was blocking the launch.
Officials maintain the country’s authorisation framework for telecom and satellite services is “fair and non-discriminatory”, calling any suggestion of selective treatment “baseless and misconceived”. The government says all three licensed satellite operators, including Starlink, stand at broadly the same regulatory stage. While Starlink has secured a licence, commercial operations still need security clearances and a spectrum assignment.
Reliance Jio did not respond to requests for comment on Musk’s latest allegations.
The row has spilled into Indian politics, with the opposition joining the argument over business influence and regulatory delays. On X, several users also pointed to the irony of Musk’s donation allegations, noting his own large political contributions in the United States.
Why it matters for the region
The fight is about more than two billionaires. Satellite broadband is becoming a strategic sector across South Asia, and regulators everywhere are wrestling with how to license it. Pakistan’s own telecom watchdog has been tightening competition rules around mobile packages and scrapping review limits to keep the market open, showing how sensitive the politics of connectivity has become.
India’s decision on spectrum allocation is being watched as a precedent. Administrative allocation favours faster rollout by satellite firms; auctions favour deep-pocketed domestic players. Whichever model prevails will shape how quickly rural areas get connected, and at what price. The subtext is a booming devices market, with new phone launches crowding shelves and brands expanding local assembly to meet demand across the region.
For now, Starlink’s India launch remains stuck in the clearance queue, and the public feud between the world’s richest man and Asia’s richest man shows no sign of cooling.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Elon Musk attacking Mukesh Ambani?
Musk accuses Ambani of using political influence to delay Starlink’s launch in India and protect Reliance Jio’s market dominance. On Saturday he shared reports alleging Reliance-linked firms donated to the BJP.
What did the shared reports allege?
A 2022 Al Jazeera report on a Reliance-funded firm boosting BJP campaigns on Facebook, and a 2024 Indian Express report saying Reliance-linked Qwik Supply donated ₹385 crore to the BJP and ₹25 crore to Shiv Sena via electoral bonds.
What is blocking Starlink in India?
Starlink has a licence but still needs security clearances and spectrum assignment. India chose administrative allocation of satellite spectrum over auctions, which Musk’s rivals had favoured.
What has the Indian government said?
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India does not allow monopolies in any sector, and officials called suggestions of discriminatory treatment “baseless and misconceived”.
*Sources: Reuters, The Hindu BusinessLine (PTI).*
