Elon Musk Reacts to Rahul Gandhi’s Powerful ‘Other Guy’ Jab: ‘This Is Indeed Troubling’
Elon Musk has asked whether Mukesh Ambani is the “real boss of India,” escalating his dispute over the delay in launching Starlink’s satellite internet service in the country. Rahul Gandhi responded by telling Musk to wait until he discovers “the other guy,” turning a regulatory dispute into a pointed exchange about billionaire influence in Indian politics.
Musk’s question was not evidence that Ambani controls government decisions. He has accused unnamed business interests of blocking Starlink, but has not produced public evidence tying Ambani or another industrialist to a decision to delay the company’s launch.
What Musk Said, And How Gandhi Responded
On Oct. 7, Musk alleged on X that unnamed “oligarchs” were blocking Starlink to protect their hold on India’s telecom market. He called the situation a “crime against the people of India” but did not identify the people or companies he accused.
The following day, Musk asked whether Ambani was the “real boss of India,” arguing that Starlink was licensed in more than 165 countries and had spent five years complying with India’s laws and requirements.
“Is Ambani the real boss of India?” Musk asked on X on Oct. 8, after saying Starlink had spent five years complying with “every single law and requirement of the government of India.” Gandhi did not identify the person he meant. Several news outlets interpreted the remark as a possible reference to Gautam Adani, whose business group Gandhi has repeatedly criticized. That interpretation remains unconfirmed by Gandhi.
What The Government Says Is Holding Up Starlink
“The Ministry of Communications has categorically rejected the baseless and misconceived allegations,” the government said, describing the satellite communications approval framework as “fair and non-discriminatory.” It said Starlink, Reliance Jio’s satellite venture and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb were all undergoing security assessments and were at broadly the same regulatory stage.
“After examination of these applications, DoT has issued Unified License (UL) with authorisation for GMPCS service to three companies, namely OneWeb India Communications Private Limited, JIO Satellite Communications Limited, and Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited,” the Ministry of Communications said in a Jan. 29, 2026, parliamentary response.
The Commercial Dispute Behind The Political Exchange
The companies have disagreed over satellite spectrum policy before. In 2024, Reliance Jio argued that satellite spectrum should be auctioned to maintain a level playing field with traditional telecom operators. Musk supported administrative allocation instead, arguing that satellite spectrum should not be allocated through an auction.
The disagreement reflects competing commercial interests. Jio operates a major terrestrial telecom network and is developing its own satellite services, while Starlink wants to enter the same market with its satellite-based internet service. That context helps explain why the regulatory process matters to both sides, but it does not establish that either company has interfered with the other’s approval.
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