Elon Musk says Starlink rollout in India is "being blocked by certain" interests

Elon Musk posted on X that Starlink’s rollout in India is being hindered by influential interests, a claim the Indian Ministry of Communications rejected as unfounded, stating that the nation’s satellite‑service licensing system treats all approved operators equally and that the three current GMPCS licensees are at comparable points in the approval process, with security reviews and spectrum allocation still pending. The ministry emphasized that its framework is intended to be impartial and that no discrimination has been shown. Starlink officials have said the company is adapting its Indian operations to meet domestic rules, retaining user data within the country, and previously denied that security or geopolitical issues had stalled its approval. The venture has faced delays since 2022, when authorities ordered it to halt unlicensed pre‑orders and required refunds, and it has been examined for compliance with investment restrictions affecting firms from neighboring nations.