Elon Musk Pledges Affordable Starlink India Pricing Days Before Mukesh Ambani's Jio IPO Launch

Elon Musk said on October 11 that SpaceX will price Starlink's satellite internet service affordably in India to compete with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Deccan Herald. Musk posted on X that if Starlink is too expensive in India no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable. He did not specify a monthly fee, hardware price, or launch timeline. The statement escalates attacks on Ambani days before Jio Platforms launches India's largest-ever IPO, targeted to raise approximately $3.8 billion and begin trading October 28, Reuters reported. India's mobile data costs about 8 cents per gigabyte, among the lowest in the world.

Musk accused unnamed business interests of blocking Starlink's entry and on October 9 sarcastically addressed Ambani as "Prime Minister Ambani," alleging he seeks to maintain a monopoly, according to The Wire and TechCrunch. India's government denied any bias in its approval process, stating that all three satellite ventures seeking to launch including Starlink's and Jio's are awaiting final security clearance, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. The remarks mark a sharp turn for Musk, who has long enjoyed a warm public rapport with Prime Minister Modi and as recently as April 2026 announced plans to visit India, Al Jazeera and Tribune India noted. Starlink may be most viable in rural and remote areas where fiber and terrestrial mobile coverage are limited rather than as a direct urban substitute, but the company has not announced pricing, confirmed regulatory clearance, or set a commercial launch date for India.

Sources

Reuters via Al Jazeera, "Musk vows 'affordable' Starlink in India as he escalates feud with Ambani," October 11, 2026, aljazeera.com Deccan Herald, "Musk vows affordable Starlink in India days before Ambani's record Jio IPO," October 11, 2026, deccanherald.com The Week, "Elon Musk says Starlink will be affordable in India; Govt officials call claims on licence 'blatantly false'," October 11, 2026, theweek.in The Wire, "Elon Musk Takes on Ambani, PM Modi In 'Real Boss of India' Tweets," October 10, 2026, m.thewire.in TechCrunch, "Elon Musk questions Ambani's influence as Starlink India launch stalls," October 8, 2026, techcrunch.com Business Standard, "Elon Musk vows affordable Starlink in India ahead of record Jio IPO," October 11, 2026, business-standard.com Tribune India, "Musk announces India visit after talks with PM," April 19, 2026, tribuneindia.com