- Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, 9 October 2026, India needs a level playing field for businesses
- He said the Congress is committed to ending crony capitalism
- His comments followed a clash with Elon Musk over Starlink's licensing
- The Telecom Ministry called claims of selective treatment baseless and misconceived
- Starlink still needs final approval before commercial services can begin
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, 9 October 2026, that India needs a level playing field for businesses. He said the Congress is committed to ending crony capitalism.
Remarks follow Musk row
Gandhi’s comments came after an online exchange with Elon Musk over Starlink’s licensing. On Thursday, Musk wrote on X that Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has complied with Indian rules for five years. He asked why it still had no licence.
Musk’s post also named Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, asking whether he was the real boss of India. Musk provided no evidence against Ambani.
Government rejects claim
The Telecom Ministry said India’s authorisation framework is fair. It called the suggestion that the framework was applied selectively “baseless and misconceived.” The government said all three licensed satellite operators, including Starlink, are at broadly the same regulatory stage.
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told a media briefing on Friday that India does not allow a monopoly in any sector.
Gandhi hits back
Gandhi first replied on X with “Welcome to India, Elon.” On Thursday, he also said, “wait till you discover the other guy.”
In a later post on his WhatsApp channel, Gandhi said he was not against business. He said he was against monopolies and oligopolies.
“I am not anti-business in the least, I am anti-monopoly, I am anti-creating oligopolies.”
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
He said the Congress and he were committed to breaking the chain of crony capitalism. He wants an economy driven by innovation and hard work, not political patronage.
Gandhi has accused the Narendra Modi government of favouring big business, especially the Adani Group. He made a similar point in November 2024.
What happens next
Starlink still needs final approval before commercial services can begin. The government said security clearances for all three satellite operators are still underway.
According to reports, Starlink also needs a separate approval from India’s space regulator, along with spectrum for telecommunications from the government. That process may take at least a couple of months.
