Centre rejects Musk's Starlink monopoly claims as baseless

The Centre has strongly rejected billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's claims that Starlink faces regulatory hurdles due to monopolistic chokehold in India's telecom sector, calling the assertion baseless and misconceived. Government officials said the nation has implemented a fair, non-discriminatory authorization framework that applies uniformly across all telecommunication service providers without bias toward any particular player. The statement comes after Musk attributed delays in Starlink's Indian operations to existing market dominance by incumbent telecom operators. The government emphasized that its regulatory approach ensures a level playing field for new entrants and established players alike, with transparent licensing procedures and standardized compliance requirements. Officials indicated that any company seeking to provide satellite-based internet services must adhere to the same regulatory norms, suggesting that Starlink's operational challenges stem from meeting legitimate technical and administrative standards rather than deliberate market obstruction. The clarification underscores New Delhi's position that its telecommunications sector is governed by objective criteria designed to balance competition with national interests.