Elon Musk questions Mukesh Ambani's influence as Rahul Gandhi replies with warning

Elon Musk used his X account to question whether Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries, controls India’s satellite communications sector, a comment that followed his criticism of delays in Starlink’s licensing. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi answered with a welcome to India and a warning that another powerful individual remains unseen. The government dismissed allegations that local business interests are obstructing Starlink, emphasizing that Starlink, Reliance Jio’s Jio Satcom, and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb have all received licences but cannot launch commercially until security assessments are completed.

The telecom ministry clarified that the pending clearances are under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs and apply equally to all three firms. Musk later thanked Gandhi, describing the situation as troubling. The issue highlights the intersection of political influence, corporate competition, and regulatory scrutiny in India’s emerging satellite internet market.