Elon Musk has defended Starlink’s role in India after the government rejected his claim that powerful business groups were blocking the satellite internet service to protect their market position.
On Thursday, Musk said Starlink could help people in areas with poor internet access. He added that the service could support education and help people sell their products worldwide.
The Indian government said the delay was linked to security checks, not pressure from any one company. Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said licences and temporary access to radio spectrum had been given to satellite internet companies. However, security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs was still pending.
The issue comes as a Starlink team attends the India Mobile Congress.
Starlink uses satellites to provide internet access in places where regular networks are hard to reach. However, its reported cost in India is ₹8,600 per month, plus a one-time hardware charge of ₹34,000.
The service has also raised concerns about national security and control of satellite networks.
