Revanth Reddy defends Elon Musk, warns India against stifling tech innovation

SpaceX founder Elon Musk posted on X that Starlink is being hindered in India by “certain oligarchs,” a suggestion dismissed by Indian officials as baseless. In reaction, Telangana chief minister and Congress figure Revanth Reddy praised the country’s homegrown one outlet innovation and warned that India cannot afford to damage its global brand by yielding to crony pressures. He called for openness to advanced internet services.

The Ministry of Communications defended its non-discriminatory licensing process, noting that licences have been granted to three satellite providers - Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb (backed by Bharti Airtel) and Jio Satellite Communications - all undergoing security assessments. Musk also engaged with opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who replied cryptically to Musk’s accusations. The dispute centers on whether regulatory delays are politically motivated or simply procedural.