- Elon Musk questioned Starlink’s India license, citing Ambani’s influence.
- Government stated Starlink’s license pending Home Ministry security clearance.
- Government denies discrimination; rules apply equally to all companies.
Elon Musk thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the opposition leader responded to the Tesla CEO’s question over Starlink’s pending licence in India, with Musk saying, “This is truly concerning.”
The exchange came after Musk questioned whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani was the “boss of India” while raising concerns over Starlink’s pending licence in the country.
Rahul Gandhi responded to Musk’s post, saying, “Welcome to India, Elon. Let’s wait until we hear from the other person.”
Musk subsequently thanked Gandhi and said, “This is truly concerning.”
Elon Musk Questions Starlink Licence Delay
Musk’s remarks came in response to a post by Dr Aniruddha, who questioned whether the government was protecting crony capitalism while neglecting Indian citizens.
Musk said Starlink had received licences in 165 countries and questioned why it had still not received a licence in India despite meeting all the necessary guidelines for five years.
“Is Ambani the real boss of India?” Musk asked.
The billionaire had earlier alleged, without naming any businessman, that powerful business interests were blocking Starlink’s entry into India to protect their monopoly.
Government Says Starlink Matter Pending With Home Ministry
Minister of State for Communications Chandrashekhar Pemmasani said Starlink’s licence matter is pending with the Home Ministry.
Pemmasani also said that security clearance is not a matter related to any one company.
The government has rejected allegations that Starlink is being discriminated against in the licensing process.
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Government Rejects Discrimination Allegations
The government has maintained that India’s rules governing satellite communications apply equally to all companies and that Starlink is not being discriminated against.
According to a government statement, India’s satellite communications regulatory framework is fair and non-discriminatory.
The licences of three companies have been revoked for failing to comply with government guidelines. Security checks are currently underway for these companies, with all three at the same regulatory stage.
The government said that once the security procedures are completed, the next phase of the licensing process will be initiated.
Musk’s Ambani Remark Escalates Starlink Row
The controversy over Starlink’s entry into India has intensified after Musk moved from alleging that powerful business interests were blocking the company to directly questioning Ambani’s influence.
His exchange with Rahul Gandhi has now added a political dimension to the dispute, with the Congress leader responding to Musk’s remarks and the billionaire subsequently saying the situation was “truly concerning.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
