NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has joined the ongoing debate over Elon Musk’s Starlink licensing dispute in India, responding to the SpaceX chief’s remarks questioning Mukesh Ambani’s influence with a cryptic comment that appeared to target industrialist Gautam Adani.
“Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy,” Gandhi wrote on X in response to Musk’s post.
The exchange came after Musk alleged that Starlink had spent five years complying with Indian laws but was still awaiting a licence to begin commercial operations in the country. Questioning the delay, Musk asked, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”
In another post, Musk alleged that certain “oligarchs” were blocking Starlink to protect their monopolistic hold over the Indian market, calling the alleged obstruction a “crime against the people of India”.
Although Gandhi did not name anyone in his response, his remark appeared to refer to Adani, whom the Congress has repeatedly accused of having close ties with the BJP-led government and receiving favourable treatment. These allegations have been a recurring point of political confrontation between the opposition and the government.
The Ministry of Communications, meanwhile, rejected Musk’s allegations that vested interests were targeting Starlink’s plans in India. It maintained that the country had established a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecommunications services, including satellite communications.
According to the ministry, licences had been granted to three global mobile personal communication by satellite service providers operating through non-geosynchronous satellite orbit-based systems. All three licensees are required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions before proceeding to the next stage of the approval process.
The ministry said security assessments for all three entities were underway and that they were broadly at the same regulatory stage. It described suggestions of unfair or discriminatory treatment as “baseless and misconceived”.
Meanwhile, Starlink has reiterated its preparedness to enter the Indian market. On October 7, Lauren Dreyer, Starlink’s Vice President of Business Operations, told the India Mobile Congress 2026 that the company had developed India-specific security controls and built 20 gateway sites across the country.
Dreyer said Starlink had invested in ground infrastructure, including hundreds of antennas, and was keeping Indian users’ data within the country. She added that the company had been working with Indian regulators, industry stakeholders and operators for five years to adapt its operations to domestic requirements.
The dispute highlights the regulatory challenges surrounding Starlink’s proposed entry into India’s satellite internet market, as the company awaits the co
