Owaisi slams Musk over Starlink remarks, says foreign tycoon cannot question India's decisions

A statement by Elon Musk on the delay in granting permission to his Starlink service in India has set off political debate in the country. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has objected to Musk's stand. According to Owaisi, opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one thing, and a foreign industrialist questioning India's decisions is something else altogether.

Owaisi said he has opposed Modi's politics and will continue to do so. But he made it clear that this does not mean a foreign industrialist should be allowed to question the Prime Minister of India or the country's decisions in this manner.

Owaisi also targeted the BJP. He asked what stand the BJP, which speaks of nationalism, takes when a powerful foreign industrialist questions India's decisions. He also asked whether the government bows before white people.

Starlink, the satellite internet service of Musk, who owns SpaceX and is chief executive of Tesla, is going through the approval process required to begin business in India. Musk publicly questioned the delay in this process. The dispute has drawn more attention amid the competition in satellite internet in India and the permission process.

Musk has raised the issue of a level playing field for entering the Indian market. Reliance, for its part, has welcomed competition, including from Starlink, and has made clear that its own satellite communication service is also awaiting the required government approvals.

It is reported that Rahul Gandhi has also, in the context of Musk's stand, raised questions about the relationship between the Union government and big business groups. The issue of Starlink's permission is thus no longer only a business matter but also a subject of political debate.

To launch satellite communication services, companies must meet regulatory approval and security process requirements. Along with Starlink, Reliance Jio's satellite communication initiative and Eutelsat OneWeb will also have to complete the required approval process.

Owaisi has used the issue to question the BJP on nationalism. His statement conveys that one can continue to oppose the Modi government and still hold a different position on the process of the country's sovereign decisions. Attention now turns to what happens next in Starlink's approval process and what stand the Union government takes on the dispute.