Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani’s feud over Starlink | Explained
Elon Musk has publicly criticized Mukesh Ambani, accusing him of using his influence to block Starlink from the Indian market to protect Reliance Jio's interests. While Musk claims Starlink would improve connectivity, critics argue his rhetoric undermines the Indian government and that his service remains prohibitively expensive.
Why it matters
The feud highlights the geopolitical and economic tensions surrounding the entry of global tech giants into the Indian telecommunications market.
SpaceX owner Elon Musk has never shied away from starting a social media spat, be it with his own family members or U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mr. Musk has now taken aim at India’s billionaire Mukesh Ambani, accusing the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries of being the real “boss” of India, and playing a role in keeping Starlink’s satellite internet out of the Indian market to favour Jio.
On October 9, Mr. Musk posted on X a mockingly subservient tweet addressed to “Prime Minister Ambani,” apologising for “not realising that you are the real boss of India,” and accused him of wanting to maintain his “monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India,” before asking him for permission to allow Starlink to compete in the market. Mr. Musk claimed that Starlink would help close internet connectivity gaps across the country and could help save lives during natural disasters.
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