Elon Musk has escalated his public dispute with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, sharing media reports about a Reliance-funded firm's alleged role in boosting BJP campaigns and a Reliance-linked company's political donations, amid a row over delays in launching Starlink's satellite internet services in India.
The latest posts come as Musk steps up his criticism of Mukesh Ambani over the delay in Starlink's commercial launch in India, suggesting that the Reliance Industries chairman is seeking to protect a monopoly. The government has rejected allegations of regulatory favouritism, maintaining that all three licensed satellite communications operators, including Starlink, are at broadly the same stage of the approval process and must meet the required security conditions before commencing operations.
Musk shared screenshots of two reports on X: an Al Jazeera report from 2022 titled How a Reliance-funded firm boosts BJP's campaigns on Facebook and an archived 2024 report by The Indian Express on Qwik Supply, a Reliance-linked company.
Media report said Qwik Supply donated Rs 385 crore to the BJP and Rs 25 crore to the Shiv Sena through electoral bonds. Musk's posts come amid his accusations that Ambani is seeking to protect a monopoly and prevent Starlink from competing in India. The reports shared by Musk concern earlier claims about political funding and social media campaigning.
‘PRIME MINISTER AMBANI’
Days before sharing the reports, Musk had sarcastically addressed Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” and questioned whether the industrialist would allow Starlink to compete in India.
On Thursday, Musk had asked on X, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”, questioning why Starlink's commercial launch remained pending despite what he described as years of compliance with Indian requirements. Musk provided no evidence to support his allegations against Ambani.
Reliance has not publicly responded to Musk's accusations.
OH, THE IRONY: INTERNET REACTS TO MUSK'S POSTS
Musk's posts also triggered a wave of reactions on X, with users questioning his own political spending in the US and accusing him of hypocrisy.
“This is coming from someone who personally donated billions to help pedo Trump win the election,” one user wrote, criticising Musk over his support for US President Donald Trump.
Another user shared a Forbes report from 2024 titled Elon Musk Spent Over $200 Million To Help Trump Get Elected, drawing attention to Musk's own role in financing Trump's election campaign.
Musk's political spending has been widely reported. The Associated Press reported in November 2024 that his America PAC spent around $200 million to support Trump's successful presidential campaign, with Musk providing most of the funding. A subsequent analysis of campaign finance filings by The Washington Post put Musk's total political contributions during the 2024 election cycle at at least $288 million.
GOVERNMENT REJECTS MONOPOLY CLAIM
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia pushed back against Musk's allegations on Friday, saying India does not permit monopolies in any sector.
Despite the attention surrounding Starlink's entry, three satellite communications operators have received licences, Scindia said. They can begin operations after individually meeting the required security conditions and regulatory milestones.
The government has also rejected suggestions that the approval process is being applied selectively, describing such claims as “baseless and misconceived”. It has maintained that the authorisation framework for telecom and satellite services is “fair and non-discriminatory”.
STARLINK'S INDIA LAUNCH REMAINS PENDING
Starlink, operated by Musk's SpaceX, has secured a licence to operate in India, but a commercial launch still requires security compliance and spectrum assignment.
The delay has fuelled a public dispute over market competition and the influence of major corporate groups in India's telecommunications sector. The market is currently dominated by mobile network operators Reliance Jio, owned by Ambani's group, and Bharti Airtel, led by Sunil Mittal.
The government has said Starlink and the two other licensed satellite operators are at broadly the same regulatory stage, rejecting allegations that the process favours domestic players.
Source: Reuters