Musk Slams Ambani Supporters for 'Absurd Hypocrisy'

The Cliff News | 11 October 2026

Tech magnate Elon Musk has reignited his public dispute with industrialist Mukesh Ambani, accusing supporters of Ambani's online ventures of exhibiting "absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole" concerning the potential market entry of Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, into India.

Musk, in a series of posts on the social media platform X, stated that arguments made by Ambani's internet backers are "ridiculous" and lack logical consistency. He highlighted a perceived contradiction where proponents simultaneously argue that Starlink cannot compete with the "amazing low prices offered by Ambani's de facto monopoly in India" while also claiming it poses a significant competitive threat.

Contrasting Arguments on Competition

The SpaceX founder elaborated on the alleged hypocrisy, detailing the dual nature of the arguments he has encountered. "On the one hand, they say Starlink couldn't possibly compete with the amazing low prices offered by Ambani's de facto monopoly in India and then, in the same breath, they essentially claim that Starlink would be too strong of a competitor! This is absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole," Musk posted.

Musk asserted that increased competition from Starlink would ultimately benefit ordinary Indian citizens by expanding consumer choice, a principle he believes is fundamental to market dynamics. He suggested that while such competition might lead to a reduction in Ambani's profits, it would not result in the collapse of his businesses.

"Ambani's profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business. And, obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable," Musk further stated.

He maintained that the natural market forces of supply and demand would dictate Starlink's pricing strategy in India. If the service proves to be too costly for Indian consumers, Musk indicated that his company, SpaceX, would be compelled to adjust its pricing to achieve affordability.

Recent Exchanges and Allegations

This latest salvo from Musk follows a week of pointed commentary directed at Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate is a dominant force in India's telecommunications sector and is also vying for a stake in satellite communication services.

In a separate development over the weekend, Musk shared media reports on X that suggested a Reliance-funded entity played a role in amplifying BJP campaigns on social media. He also highlighted an archived report detailing significant political donations made by a company linked to Reliance to the ruling party through electoral bonds.

The shared reports included an Al Jazeera article from 2022, titled "How a Reliance-funded firm boosts BJP's campaigns on Facebook," and an Indian Express report from earlier this year concerning Qwik Supply. The latter report indicated that the Reliance-linked firm contributed ₹385 crore to the BJP and ₹25 crore to the Shiv Sena via electoral bonds.

Starlink's Delayed Entry into India

Musk's heightened criticism comes amidst ongoing delays in the official launch of Starlink's satellite broadband services in India. While Reliance has not issued a public statement addressing Musk's recent allegations, the Indian government has previously maintained that its regulatory framework for telecom and satellite services is impartial and non-discriminatory. Officials have dismissed any suggestions of selective application of these rules as unfounded.

Earlier in their public exchange, Musk had sarcastically referred to Mukesh Ambani as "Prime Minister Ambani," accusing him of attempting to preserve a monopolistic position in the market. At that time, Musk had questioned whether Ambani would permit his satellite internet service to operate freely in the country.