India’s Ministry of Communications rejected Elon Musk’s claim that oligarchs were blocking Starlink, asserting the country’s satellite‑phone licensing regime is non‑discriminatory and fully transparent.
The ministry noted that the government has issued global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) licences to three operators, including Starlink, Bharti‑backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd, while Amazon Leo is also in contention for a licence.
Musk’s accusation surfaced on X just hours before SpaceX announced that Starlink was ready to launch in India, with Starlink Business Operations Vice‑President Lauren Dreyer describing the company’s investment in 20 gateway sites and hundreds of antennas across the country.
Security assessments are underway for all three licencees, and once completed the operators may seek spectrum assignment under the same conditions that apply to terrestrial telecoms.
The Ministry also cautioned that the social media post suggesting unfairness is baseless, underscoring that the framework applies equally to all firms.
The next step will see Starlink and its peers move toward spectrum allocation and final regulatory approvals, potentially boosting connectivity for millions of rural users.