Noida, Oct 8 (APAC Media): India has pushed back against Elon Musk’s allegation that powerful business interests are preventing Starlink from launching its satellite internet services in the country, saying the regulatory process is uniform and does not favour one company over another.
The Ministry of Communications said India has a “fair, non-discriminatory authorisation framework” for telecommunications services, including satellite communication. The clarification came after Musk alleged that Starlink was being blocked by “certain oligarchs” seeking to protect their hold over the Indian market.
India has granted Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) licences to three companies — Musk’s Starlink, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms.
Amazon Leo, owned by Jeff Bezos, is also seeking approval to enter the market.
The government said the licences were granted under a regulatory framework governing communication service based on non-geosynchronous satellite orbits. It added that all licensed operators are subject to the same regulatory and security requirements.
“Under the licence terms and conditions, all licencees are required to demonstrate compliance with the prescribed security requirements,” the ministry said.
The government explained that the security checks are intended to protect users and their data before companies can move towards commercial operations.
“The measure is intended to ensure that the services provided comply with security requirements aimed at protecting users and safeguarding their data. As part of the process, security assessments are currently underway for all three licencees,” it said.
Once the security assessment is completed, the concerned company can proceed to the next stage of seeking spectrum assignment, according to the ministry.
Starlink obtained its GMPCS licence more than a year ago but is still waiting for the remaining approvals needed to launch commercial services. However, the ministry stated that Starlink is treated the same as other licensed operators.
“At present, all three companies holding GMPCS licences are broadly at the same stage in the regulatory process,” it said.
The ministry also directly rejected suggestions that India’s satellite communication policy was being applied selectively.
“A social media post has raised questions about the fairness of India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services, alleging that the rules are being applied in a discriminatory manner,” it said.
“Accordingly, the claim that the regulatory framework, or its implementation, is unfair or discriminatory is unfounded and misplaced,” the ministry added.
Musk Says Starlink Is Ready
Shortly after a senior SpaceX executive announced the company’s readiness to begin operations in India, Musk made his comments.
Speaking at India Mobile Congress 2026, Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX’s Vice President for Business Operations, said the company had already made significant investments in infrastructure tailored specifically to meet the needs of the Indian market.
“We have built our Starlink operations specifically for India, taking into account the country’s security requirements and other regulations. We have established controls at every layer for India and ensured that Indian user data remains within the country,” Dreyer said.
She said the company had also established 20 gateway sites equipped with hundreds of antennas.
“We have already made the necessary investments and built the required ground infrastructure in India, including 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas. We have also established the operations needed to be ready to serve customers across the country,” Dreyer added.
The contrasting statements highlight the final regulatory hurdles. Starlink must clear before its long-awaited satellite internet service can reach Indian consumers
ENDS–
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information. APAC Media is not responsible for investment decisions or losses. Please conduct your own research or consult a financial adviser before investing.
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