Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
What began as a veiled jibe at Indian “oligarchs” for allegedly blocking Starlink’s entry into the country has escalated into a direct swipe at Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani. Elon Musk has doubled down on his attack, sarcastically addressing the industrialist as “Dear Prime Minister” and suggesting that he wields more power than his official position would indicate.
“Please accept my humble apologies for not realising that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote in his latest post, questioning whether Ambani would allow Starlink to compete in the Indian market.
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The billionaire entrepreneur accused Ambani of preferring to maintain his “monopolistic exploitation” of the Indian public. He pitched Starlink as a way to bring internet connectivity to underserved areas, saying it could expand access to education and help small businesses reach global markets.
“There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market,” Musk wrote, claiming Starlink would “change their lives for the better.”
Minutes later, he posted another message in the same thread, pitching Starlink as a service that could save lives during natural disasters when other communication systems fail. He said allowing the service into India would mean “helping save men, women and children throughout India.”
Musk’s latest tirade came on the third consecutive day of posts in which he stepped up his attack against what he described as concerted efforts to derail Starlink’s entry into India.
RAHUL BACKS MUSK, CALLS FOR LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
Amid the row, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi backed Musk’s call for fair competition, saying India needed a level playing field where every business had a fair chance to compete.
In a post on his WhatsApp channel on Friday, Gandhi said the Congress was committed to breaking the cycle of crony capitalism. He shared a video montage that included his exchange with Musk on X, in which he said, “I am not anti-business; I am anti-monopoly.”
The exchange began after Musk posted on X that Starlink was licensed in more than 165 countries and had spent five years complying with the Indian government’s laws and requirements. “So why still no license?” he asked, before adding: “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”
Gandhi responded: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.” Musk thanked him for the response, saying, “This is indeed troubling.”
Gandhi referred to the exchange again, reiterating his call for fair competition and saying he wanted an economy driven by innovation and hard work, “not political patronage.”
GOVERNMENT REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF FAVOURITISM
The Indian government has rejected allegations that domestic business interests were blocking Starlink’s entry into the country. On Thursday, it said compliance with security norms was an absolute requirement for every satellite communications licensee.
The government has licensed three companies — Musk’s Starlink, Reliance Jio’s satellite venture Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb. However, none can begin commercial services until the required security assessments and spectrum-related approvals are completed.
The row has brought renewed attention to the debate over monopolies and fair competition in India’s satellite internet market, with Musk alleging that Starlink’s entry is being obstructed and the government maintaining that all licensees must meet the same requirements.
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Inputs from PTI
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
