Trillionaire Elon Musk has asked Prime Minister Mukesh Ambani to consider allowing Starlink, a satellite internet network developed by SpaceX, to operate in India due to alleged monopolistic exploitation of Indian consumers.
In a recent social media post on the platform X, owned by Elon Musk, he addressed Prime Minister Mukesh Ambani, asking for permission to allow Starlink, a satellite internet network developed by SpaceX, to operate in India. This move is part of an ongoing debate about Starlink's clearance to function within the country.
In his post, Musk expressed concern over maintaining monopolistic exploitation of Indian consumers, emphasizing that many areas lack internet access, which hinders educational opportunities for children and sales potential for small businesses. He believes that Starlink would significantly improve their lives.
Musk accused Ambani of wanting to maintain a 'monopolistic exploitation' of Indian consumers. However, Musk did not specify which member of the Ambani family he was referring to. Scroll has requested comment from Reliance Industries Limited, and this article will be updated upon receiving a response.
This is the second instance in two days that Musk has mentioned Ambani. On Thursday, Musk asked if Ambani holds the 'real boss' title for India, citing Starlink's licensing delays despite complying with all Indian laws and regulations over five years.
Starlink provides internet access through a constellation of satellites placed in low-earth orbit by Musk’s spacecraft manufacturing company SpaceX. If launched in India, Starlink will compete in the country's satellite internet market with Jio Space Technology, a joint venture part of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, and Eutelsat OneWeb, backed by Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel Group.
The Union government had on Thursday defended India's regulatory framework for satellite communication services, saying it was 'fair and non-discriminatory'. The Ministry of Communications did not specifically mention Musk or Starlink in its statement but referred to a widely shared post on social media on Thursday.
Starlink has obtained authorisation for a global mobile personal communications by satellite from the Department of Telecommunications, but is yet to receive the security clearances required to begin operations.
Source:
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