The Indian Ministry of Communications has officially denied allegations made by Elon Musk regarding the unfair obstruction of Starlink in the country. Musk recently claimed that unnamed entities were blocking the satellite service to preserve a monopoly, labeling the situation a crime against the public. He provided no evidence to support these accusations.
In response, the ministry stated that its regulatory framework for satellite communications is non-discriminatory. According to officials, Starlink and two other licensed operators are currently at the same regulatory stage. All three companies must complete mandatory security assessments before they can apply for the radio frequency spectrum required for operations.
Starlink maintains that it is prepared to serve the Indian market and has already established more than 20 gateway sites along with hundreds of antennas. The company claims to have adapted its operations to comply with local data-sovereignty and security requirements. SpaceX views its network as a complement to existing terrestrial telecom infrastructure.
The company previously attempted to enter the Indian market in 2021 but was forced to refund preorders in 2022 after the government noted it lacked the necessary licenses. While the government eventually agreed to allocate spectrum administratively rather than through auctions, local operators like Reliance Jio and Airtel continue to develop their own satellite services.
