New Delhi, 8 October

The government on Thursday slammed US business tycoon Elon Musk over his allegations that Starlink's satcom services are being blocked, and made it clear that demonstrating compliance with security norms is an absolute must for every satcom licensee in the country.

The government also emphasised that a fair and non-discriminatory framework is in place for all telecom offerings, including satellite services.

Any suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived, the government said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Musk alleged that "certain oligarchs" have blocked his company's satellite communication services in India to maintain their monopoly in the country.

"A post is being circulated on social media regarding the fairness of India's regulatory framework for satellite communication services and suggesting that it is being applied in a discriminatory manner.

"The government has put in place a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communication services," the telecom ministry said on Thursday.

The government has granted licenses to three satellite communications companies -- Musk-led Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb -- for starting operations in India.

However, all the companies need spectrum and security clearance before starting the service.

The telecom ministry said that under the terms and conditions of license, every such licensee is required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions.

"This is aimed at ensuring that services provided meet various security requirements to ensure safety of all users and their data. Security assessment as part of this process is currently under way in respect of all three licensees," the ministry said.

The ministry said that as and when this process is completed for a licensed entity, it may proceed to the next step of seeking assignment of spectrum.

"At present, all three entities are broadly at the same regulatory stage. As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the statement said.

In a response to a tweet by the DogeDesigner handle on social media platform X about the non-availability of mobile coverage in over 11,000 villages, Musk tweeted, "Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are... This is a crime against the people of India!"

He denied allegations of Starlink services being used by militants in Manipur.

"Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false," Musk said.

In a series of tweets, Musk claimed that "Starlink in India would enable high-speed, affordable internet connectivity for those who can't afford current prices or who don't have a connection at all!"

The reaction from Musk came on the day India started its apex telecom sector event -- India Mobile Congress (IMC).

A senior official of Musk-led SpaceX on Wednesday announced that the company's satcom arm is ready to start services in India.

Speaking at India Mobile Congress 2026, SpaceX's Starlink Business Operations Vice President Lauren Dreyer said the company has made an investment in setting up the required infrastructure to serve the Indian market.

"We've built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of Indian security requirements and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India, and keeping Indian user data within India," she said.

Dreyer said that Starlink has already made the investment and built the existing ground infrastructure in India, comprising 20 gateway sites with hundreds of antennas.

"We've established the operations to be ready to serve India," Dreyer said.