Starlink India Launch: Why Is Elon Musk Still Waiting?

Despite the guarantee of key approvals, Starlink's satellite internet service remains in regulatory limbo and raises questions about security permits, competition, and India's investment climate.

10/12/2026 12 October 2026 Despite securing key approvals, Starlink's satellite internet service remains in legal limbo, raising questions about security clearances, competition and India's investment climate.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of the delay in the launch of Starlink in India. Last week, he mockingly referred to Mukesh Ambani, one of India's richest men and chairman of Reliance Industries, as "Prime Minister Ambani" and accused his supporters of supporting monopoly.

Do you still allow Starlink to compete? Writing in X, Musk argued that the service could provide Internet access to disadvantaged communities across India.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition Indian National Congress, joined the debate, writing: "Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other boy." "Thanks, Rahul," Musk replied. This is really sad.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, accused Gandhi of supporting Musk's interests, while party leaders defended the government's handling of the issue.

Speaking at Mobile India Congress 2026 in New Delhi, Reliance Jio chairman Akash Ambani declined to comment on Musk's comments. "I have no idea. We want to keep our heads down and deliver value to our Indian consumers," he said.

Akash, Mukesh Ambani's eldest son, also mentioned that JioBuddha is making progress on its end-to-end indigenous satellite broadband technology stack.

Meanwhile, Starlink - despite securing key approvals and signing distribution deals with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel - is yet to begin commercial operations in India.

Its low earth orbit satellites can provide internet access in remote villages, hilly areas and border areas where fiber optic networks and cell towers are expensive to build.

But the service enters a market where mobile data is cheap and incumbent telecom operators have extensive networks.

India's communications ministry says security assessments are ongoing for all three licensed satellite operators, and they are generally at the same regulatory stage.

In a statement, the ministry said that each licensee must comply with security conditions designed to protect users and their data. After completing the assessment, an operator can seek spectrum allocation. It described claims that the framework was unfair or discriminatory as "baseless and false".

Starlink received the satellite communications license from the Ministry of Communications and India's National Space Agency and National Space License in 2025. However, these approvals do not automatically authorize business operations.

The security debate surrounding Starlink has intensified following comments by BJP leader Nishikant Dubey, who heads a parliamentary committee. In a post on X on October 11, Dubey said the panel had looked into Starlink's security challenges.

He wrote in Hindi: "As the chairman of the parliamentary committee, our committee has understood the challenges facing the country's security institutions through Starlink.

Responding to Musk's criticism, Dubey added: "India is a healthy democratic and independent country and will not change its security policy under the pressure of social media or foreign personalities."

Dubai did not specify the security risks or legal requirements associated with the launch.

Yashvardan Ja Azad, a former intelligence officer and national security expert, said the impasse reflects business competition, regulatory uncertainty and legitimate security concerns.

The main question is: who maintains effective control over an essential communication service during a crisis? Azad told DW.

India needs safeguards that cover traffic routing, lawful interception under due process and cyber security, he said.

"Nevertheless, the existence of security requirements does not explain why the Starlink program is suspended," Azad said. He noted that the government has not publicly explained what specific conditions, if any, the company must meet.

Investment, production and affordability

The delay in launching Starlink has raised questions about the predictability of India's investment environment.

Economist Lekha Chakraborty, who has followed the issue closely, said the problem was not that India had closed its doors to foreign investment, but that companies could not plan around an open approval process.

"The Starlink impasse is better read not as India closing its doors to foreign investment, but as a failure to predictably open doors," Chakrabarti told DW.

He said security reviews are necessary given the sensitivity of satellite communications, which include critical infrastructure, cross-border data, gate control and legal interception.

But the problem, he said, was the lack of clarity about approval criteria and timing.

"Investors can price in known rules, not discretionary, multi-agency processes with uncertain endpoints," Chakrabarty added.

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Pankaj Mohindroo, president of the Mobile and Electronics Association of India, said Starlink's entry could create opportunities for Indian electronics manufacturers in satellite terminals, antennas, communication modules and network equipment.

"India already has a strong reliable electronics manufacturing base, which provides an opportunity for global technology companies to develop local partnerships and strengthen domestic supply chains," he told DW.