Musk Calls Ambani ‘Boss of India' Over 5-Year Starlink Wait

Elon Musk took a direct shot at Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Friday, October 9, 2026. He posted a sharp message on X, calling Ambani the 'real boss of India.' Musk runs SpaceX and its satellite internet service, Starlink. He has pushed for years to launch Starlink in India. The service still has not received final approval. In his post, Musk wrote: 'Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India.' He then asked Ambani to let Starlink compete in India's internet market. Musk said Ambani would naturally want to protect his hold on the market. Ambani chairs Reliance Industries. The company owns Jio, India's largest telecom operator. Musk said many parts of India have no internet access. He said this keeps children out of school and stops small businesses from reaching global customers. 'Starlink would change their lives for the better,' he wrote. In a follow-up post, Musk said Starlink has helped save lives during natural disasters around the world. He said it could do the same in India. This is not Musk's first complaint this week. Two days earlier, on October 7, he accused unnamed 'oligarchs' of blocking Starlink in India. He wrote: 'You can guess who they are… This is a crime against the people of India!' Musk also said Starlink has spent five years following India's rules and laws. He said the company still waits for final sign-off. The Indian government denied Musk's claims. Officials said every satellite company must meet the same security rules. They called claims of unfair treatment 'baseless and misconceived.' Starlink already holds a license to offer satellite service in India, granted in June 2025. But it still needs security clearance and approval for foreign investment before it can start selling to customers. At the India Mobile Congress, Starlink executive Lauren Dreyer said the company is ready and waiting on government clearance.