Elon Musk alleges Starlink is blocked in India by oligarchs maintaining monopolistic chokehold

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has alleged that Starlink is being blocked in India by “certain oligarchs” attempting to maintain a “monopolistic chokehold” on the country.

Responding on social media to a post arguing that India requires Starlink to bridge connectivity gaps in underserved areas, Musk claimed that the satellite internet venture was facing obstruction. “Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are … This is a crime against the people of India!” Musk wrote.

The Department of Telecommunications did not respond to an emailed query regarding the allegations.

Starlink, a low-Earth orbit satellite broadband provider owned by SpaceX, has secured a government licence to offer satellite communication services in India, alongside competitors Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. Despite holding the licence, the firm still awaits spectrum allocation, security clearances, and foreign investment-related approvals before it can launch commercial operations.

Addressing the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi on the same day, Starlink’s vice-president of business operations, Lauren Dreyer, stated that the company had structured its operations around national security regulations. She noted that Starlink had established user data localization controls, built 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas, and worked with regulators and industry stakeholders for five years.

“We’ve built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of Indian security requirements and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India and keeping India user data within India,” Dreyer said, adding that the company was ready to address last-mile connectivity challenges once final approvals are granted.

Starlink has previously established a partnership in India with Bharti Airtel. In March 2025, Airtel announced an agreement with SpaceX to examine potential commercial offerings, including distributing Starlink equipment through Airtel stores, serving business clients, and utilizing Airtel’s ground infrastructure to support operations while connecting rural schools, health centres, and communities.