Elon Musk 'Thanks' Rahul Gandhi Amid India Starlink Entry Row

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Elon Musk, CEO of Starlink and SpaceX, called the situation surrounding Starlink's efforts to enter the Indian market "troubling" in a social media exchange on X (formerly Twitter) with prominent Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Rahul, who currently serves as the leader of the opposition in India's lower house of Parliament (Lok Sabha) had weighed in on Musk's allegations that the satellite communications company had been unable to secure a licence in India despite complying with the country's laws and requirements for five years.

"Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy," Gandhi wrote on X. "Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling," Musk replied.

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The exchange comes amid a public debate over the regulatory process for Starlink, SpaceX's satellite-based internet service, and Musk's allegations that vested interests are obstructing the company's entry into the Indian market.

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In an earlier post, Musk questioned the delay in granting Starlink a licence, saying the company was authorised to operate in more than 165 countries. "Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license? Is Amban the real boss of India?" Musk wrote. In another post, responding to a user who outlined reasons why India needed Starlink, Musk alleged that powerful business interests were preventing the company from entering the market. "Unfortunately, we (Starlink) 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," he said.

India's Ministry of Communications had earlier rejected claims that vested interests were targeting Starlink's plans in India, maintaining that the country's regulatory framework for telecommunications services, including satellite communications, was fair and non-discriminatory. In its statement, the Ministry said telecom licences had been granted to three global mobile personal communication by satellite service providers operating through non-geosynchronous satellite orbit-based systems. It said all licensees were required to demonstrate compliance with prescribed security conditions to ensure the safety of users and their data. It added that once the assessment was completed for a licensed entity, the company could proceed to the next step of seeking spectrum assignment.

"At present, all three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage. As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the statement said.

Meanwhile, Starlink Vice President of Business Operations Lauren Dreyer, speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2026 on October 7, said the company had developed India-specific security controls and was preparing to serve the Indian market. Dreyer said Starlink had invested in and built ground infrastructure in India, including 20 gateway sites equipped with hundreds of antennas, and had established operations to begin providing services. She also said the company was keeping Indian users' data within the country.

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