India has responded to Elon Musk's statements that his satellite internet services are being 'blocked' in the country.
The industrialist claimed that some oligarchs are obstructing access to the service to maintain their monopolistic control, but he did not name the individuals he accused.
The Bureau of Indian Press Information responded to Musk's publication by issuing a statement that the government has established a 'fair and non-discriminatory authorization system for all telecommunication services, including satellite communication services.'
In this message, while calling these claims 'unfounded and erroneous,' there was no direct response to Musk; instead, it addressed a post circulating on social media regarding the fairness of India's regulatory framework for satellite communications.
It was further clarified that each licensee is obliged to demonstrate compliance with security requirements, which aims to 'ensure the fulfillment of various security requirements provided by the services' for data protection. It was added that a security assessment is currently underway for all three licensees.
The Ministry of Communications also reported that after this process is completed, licensees will be able to apply for spectrum allocation. It was noted that all three organizations applying for a license 'are at approximately the same regulatory stage.'
Musk's Starlink is available in over 150 countries worldwide and recently received approval from UAE authorities.