New Delhi: The debate in political and business circles has become increasingly heated regarding the commercial launch of world famous industrialist Elon Musk’s satellite internet service ‘Starlink’ in India. Musk became the chairman of Reliance Industries on social media platform ‘X’. Mukesh Ambani Taking direct aim at Starlink, it made a serious allegation that the country’s powerful business interests are creating major barriers to Starlink’s entry into India. However, the Government of India has completely rejected all these allegations and clarified that the regulatory and licensing process is completely fair and equal for all new and old companies in the country. The scope of Musk’s statements did not stop here, but he also took on the common citizens and internet users supporting Ambani on social media.
Musk’s sharp words: ‘This is sheer hypocrisy’
Elon Musk was sharply worded in his response, saying, “The absurd arguments put forward by Mukesh Ambani’s army of Internet supporters are completely incomprehensible. On the one hand, they claim that Starlink will not be able to compete with the rock-bottom prices offered by Ambani’s near-monopoly in India, and at the same moment they claim that Starlink will prove to be a very strong and dangerous competitor! This is complete hypocrisy and contradiction.”
Impact on companies’ profits and market competition
Musk’s main argument is that with the arrival of state-of-the-art services like Starlink in the Indian market, consumers will get more and better internet options. He says that even though increased competition in the market may have a slight impact on the profits of existing telecom companies, it will not completely end their huge business. He also added that if Starlink’s services prove expensive, the company itself will have to keep its prices affordable to attract customers.
Kamal Haasan gave a strong reaction: ‘No billionaire can decide the policies of the country’
Well-known actor and Rajya Sabha MP amid controversy over Starlink Kamal Haasan Has expressed strong reaction to the statements of Elon Musk. He bluntly said that the sovereign policies of any country cannot be decided by any outside billionaire, be it American or Indian. He laid special emphasis on India’s strong democratic system and its independent policy priorities.
Kamal Haasan said that India should provide equal opportunities for fair competition to both indigenous and foreign companies in the field of satellite internet. However, he also strongly stressed that the prices of internet services should be within the purchasing power of the common citizens of the country and should be completely affordable, especially in remote and rural areas where high-speed internet connectivity still remains a major challenge. Describing national security as paramount, he said that India’s telecom networks and spectrum are not just commercial resources, but are sensitive strategic assets of the country, and national security standards cannot be compromised at any cost.
Kunal Kapoor raised questions on the mentality of western tech giants
famous actors Kunal Kapoor also expressed his views openly on this entire controversy. He raised serious questions on the working style and thinking of big technology industrialists of western countries. He linked it to a colonial mentality in which foreign tech companies enter any developing country citing their technology as the only solution to progress and at the slightest opposition, they start questioning the established system and legal procedures there. Kapoor wrote in his social media post that expressing disagreement about the policies and institutions of a country does not at all mean that outside businessmen should start considering themselves the liberator or savior of that country.
Clear stand of Government of India: Monopoly is not allowed
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Clarifying the situation, it has bluntly said that the Government of India does not allow monopoly of any one company in any field. He informed that valid licenses have been granted to Reliance Jio, Eutelsat OneWeb and Starlink to operate satellite communication services in the country. Apart from this, Amazon’s satellite internet project is also progressing under the prescribed legal and regulatory processes. The Minister clarified that a company cannot start business services merely by getting a license; For this, it will have to compulsorily fulfill all the stringent safety standards and other regulatory conditions. Additionally, the process of finalizing the pricing and tariff regime for satellite spectrum is also underway.
What benefits can customers get?
Experts believe that satellite internet technology like Starlink could prove revolutionary in providing connectivity to geographical areas where traditional mobile towers or fiber optic broadband is extremely difficult or impossible to deliver. This has a strong possibility of directly benefiting the country’s remote villages, inaccessible hilly areas, small businesses and areas with limited internet facilities. However, the actual and ground benefits of this technology will depend on how affordable its services are, how cheap the equipment is available and how the regulatory approvals of the government are decided. In a country with a large and diverse income group, it is not enough to have the best technology, but it is equally important for the internet to be affordable.
