Elon Musk intensifies attack on Ambani over Starlink India launch delay

As SpaceX struggles to launch Starlink in India, Elon Musk has stepped up his attack on billionaire Mukesh Ambani, mockingly calling him the country’s “prime minister” to suggest he wields outsized control over its government and accusing him of blocking the satellite internet service from competing.

随着 SpaceX 在印度推出星链（Starlink）服务面临困境，埃隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）加大了对亿万富翁穆克什·安巴尼（Mukesh Ambani）的抨击力度，嘲讽地称他为该国的“总理”，暗示其对政府拥有过大的控制权，并指责他阻碍星链卫星互联网服务的竞争。

On Friday, Musk continued his criticism of the famed Reliance Industries’ chairperson in a post on X, arguing that Starlink could bring internet access to areas that remain unconnected, giving children more opportunities to learn, and helping small businesses reach customers worldwide. “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” Musk wrote.

周五，马斯克在 X 上发帖继续批评这位著名的信实工业（Reliance Industries）董事长，他认为星链可以为尚未联网的地区带来互联网接入，为孩子们提供更多学习机会，并帮助小型企业接触全球客户。马斯克写道：“当然，你更愿意维持你对印度伟大人民的垄断性剥削，但你是否会考虑允许星链参与竞争？”

Reliance Jio, Reliance Industries’ telecom arm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk’s latest comments follow his accusations earlier this week that unnamed “oligarchs” were blocking Starlink’s launch in India to protect their business interests. India’s Ministry of Communications rejected the allegations, saying the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications is “fair and non-discriminatory.”

信实工业旗下的电信部门 Reliance Jio 没有立即回应置评请求。马斯克最近的言论是在他本周早些时候指责未具名的“寡头”为了保护自身商业利益而阻碍星链在印度推出之后发表的。印度通信部驳回了这些指控，称该国的卫星通信监管框架是“公平且非歧视性的”。

Musk then went further on Thursday, questioning Ambani’s influence in a separate post on X. “Is Ambani the real boss of India?” he asked. SpaceX has spent years trying to launch Starlink in India. Last year, it even struck distribution agreements with Ambani’s Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, to offer the service once it received the necessary approvals.

周四，马斯克进一步在 X 上发布了另一条帖子，质疑安巴尼的影响力。他问道：“安巴尼是印度真正的老板吗？”SpaceX 多年来一直试图在印度推出星链。去年，该公司甚至与安巴尼的 Reliance Jio 以及印度第二大电信运营商巴帝电信（Bharti Airtel）达成了分销协议，以便在获得必要批准后提供该服务。

However, Starlink has not yet received the go-ahead from New Delhi to begin commercial operations, despite securing key regulatory clearances. In its Thursday statement, the Indian communication ministry said Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are undergoing security assessments that must be completed before they can receive satellite spectrum.

然而，尽管获得了关键的监管许可，星链尚未获得新德里方面开始商业运营的批准。印度通信部在周四的声明中表示，星链和其他两家持牌卫星运营商正在接受安全评估，必须在获得卫星频谱之前完成这些评估。

The ministry said all three are at “broadly the same regulatory stage,” rejecting Musk’s suggestion that Starlink was being singled out. Jio and Airtel are also seeking to launch their satellite internet services in India. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb, which is striving to offer satellite connectivity in the country.

该部表示，这三家公司处于“大致相同的监管阶段”，驳斥了马斯克关于星链受到针对的说法。Jio 和 Airtel 也正在寻求在印度推出各自的卫星互联网服务。Jio 与总部位于卢森堡的 SES 成立了合资企业，而 Airtel 是 Eutelsat OneWeb 的主要股东，后者正致力于在该国提供卫星连接服务。

India, the world’s most populous country with over a billion internet users, is a major market for Musk. But expanding there also means dealing with powerful business figures such as Ambani, whose Reliance conglomerate owns India’s largest telecom operator and works with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on major projects.

印度是世界上人口最多的国家，拥有超过十亿互联网用户，对马斯克来说是一个重要的市场。但在那里扩张也意味着要与安巴尼等有权势的商业人物打交道，安巴尼的信实集团拥有印度最大的电信运营商，并与纳伦德拉·莫迪（Narendra Modi）总理的政府在重大项目上进行合作。

Alongside Starlink’s delayed launch, Musk has also faced challenges expanding Tesla in India. The electric carmaker launched in the country last year after years of anticipation but registered just 699 vehicles in its first 12 months of deliveries, according to data cited by Electrek. Steep import duties pushed the Model Y’s launch price in India to nearly twice its U.S. price. Tesla lowered its prices earlier this year, but its cars remain considerably more expensive in India than in the U.S.

除了星链的延迟推出外，马斯克在印度扩张特斯拉（Tesla）也面临挑战。据 Electrek 引用的数据显示，这家电动汽车制造商在经过多年的期待后于去年进入印度市场，但在交付的前 12 个月内仅注册了 699 辆汽车。高昂的进口关税使得 Model Y 在印度的起售价几乎是其美国价格的两倍。特斯拉今年早些时候下调了价格，但其汽车在印度的售价仍远高于美国。

Before Musk’s latest attack, Starlink and Ambani’s Reliance Jio clashed over how to allocate satellite spectrum in India. Musk’s company wanted the spectrum to be assigned through an administrative process, while Jio pushed for an auction. Ultimately, New Delhi went ahead with Starlink and decided to allocate the spectrum administratively.

在马斯克最近的抨击之前，星链和安巴尼的 Reliance Jio 就如何在印度分配卫星频谱发生了冲突。马斯克公司希望通过行政程序分配频谱，而 Jio 则推动进行拍卖。最终，新德里方面支持了星链的诉求，决定通过行政方式分配频谱。

Starlink’s launch in India remains in limbo. India’s telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday pushed back against Musk’s allegations, saying the country “does not allow a monopoly in any sector.”

星链在印度的推出仍处于停滞状态。印度电信部长乔蒂拉迪蒂亚·辛迪亚（Jyotiraditya Scindia）周五反驳了马斯克的指控，称该国“不允许任何行业存在垄断”。