US billionaire Elon Musk has claimed that “certain oligarchs” are blocking Starlink’s satellite communication services in India to maintain their monopoly in the country. Musk made the remarks while responding to a post by the DodgeDesigner handle on X about the alleged non-availability of mobile coverage in over 11,000 Indian villages.
“Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people,” Musk posted on X.
“You can guess who they are… This is a crime against the people of India!”
An account operating under the name of DodgeDesigner, which is known for posting information related to Elon Musk and his firms, has alleged, “11,256 of India’s listed villages still lacked 4G coverage as of May 2026.”
The account claimed “India needs Starlink” and shared information about telecom connectivity problems in the rural areas of the country.
Starlink’s India Ops
The development comes hours after a senior official of Musk-led SpaceX announced that the company’s satellite communication arm, Starlink, 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.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has granted licenses to three companies, including Starlink, to provide satellite communication services in India. However, the satcom companies need spectrum and security clearance to start their services.
“We’ve already made the investment and built the existing ground infrastructure here, 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas, and we’ve established the operations to be ready to serve India,” Dreyer said.
Musk Shares Old Podcast
DodgeDesigner posted a clip of Musk’s old podcast with Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath, where he talked about starting Starlink operations in India.
“It’s been nearly four years since Starlink applied to operate in India, and it is still waiting to launch. The government should grant the remaining approvals as soon as possible so Starlink can bring high-speed internet to India’s remote and underserved communities,” the post claimed.
Reposting the video, Musk wrote, “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!”
