# India Rejects Musk’s Discrimination Claim as Starlink Awaits Clearance

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/27776
Published: 2026-10-08T06:20:57.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-08T06:20:57.000Z
Section: Regulation

> Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators remain under security review before seeking spectrum needed to begin service.

India rejected Elon Musk’s claim that Starlink is being unfairly blocked from launching, saying the satellite communications framework is fair and non-discriminatory as the service awaits security clearance.

The Ministry of Communications said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments. The reviews must be completed before the companies can seek spectrum, the radio frequencies used to transmit satellite signals.

Musk accused unnamed “oligarchs” of trying to preserve what he called a “monopolistic chokehold” over India. He described the alleged obstruction as a “crime against the people of India” and said Starlink could provide affordable, high-speed internet to people without access.

Starlink has spent more than five years pursuing entry into India, which has more than 1 billion internet subscribers. The service has secured key regulatory approvals and agreed to distribution arrangements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, but it has not started commercial operations.

Lauren Dreyer, Starlink’s vice president of business operations, reiterated the company’s commitment to India at the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi.

“We stand ready to serve India,” Dreyer said, adding that Starlink wants to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of universal connectivity.

Starlink said it has more than 20 gateway sites and hundreds of ground antennas in India. The company also said it has adjusted its operations to meet local regulatory, security and data-sovereignty requirements.

SpaceX has presented Starlink as a complement to India’s terrestrial telecom networks. The company refunded equipment preorders in early 2022 after Indian authorities objected to the service being offered before the required licenses were obtained.

Starlink and India’s largest telecom operators previously disagreed over satellite-spectrum allocation. Starlink favored administrative assignment, while Reliance Jio argued for auctions. India ultimately chose administrative allocation.

Jio and Airtel are also pursuing their own satellite internet services while agreeing to distribute Starlink in India. Jio is working with SES, while Airtel is a major backer of Eutelsat OneWeb, another licensed satellite operator in India.

The timing of Starlink’s commercial launch in India remains unclear.