Elon Musk vs Mukesh Ambani: Why the Starlink Feud Is Heating Up Before the Jio IPO?

Elon Musk vs Mukesh Ambani: Two of the world’s most powerful businessmen are now trading barbs in public. Elon Musk has escalated his attacks on Mukesh Ambani, just days before Jio Platforms launches what is expected to be India’s biggest IPO.

What Elon Musk Said?

Late on Friday, Musk addressed Ambani on X as “Prime Minister Ambani” and asked whether he would “consider allowing Starlink to compete.” He later said Starlink will be priced affordably in India to take on Reliance Jio. According to Reuters, he added: “Ambani’s profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business.”

Musk also accused Ambani’s supporters of “absurd hypocrisy and hyperbole.” In his words, they argue that Starlink cannot compete with Jio’s low prices, yet also claim it is a serious competitive threat. He did not give any India prices.

Elon Musk vs Mukesh Ambani

Why It Matters Now

Jio Platforms filed its draft IPO papers in June and has completed its overseas roadshows. Starlink and Jio’s own satellite venture, Jio Satcom, are both still waiting for final security clearance. Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb is the third licensed player.

A Surprising Turn

Reuters notes this is a sharp turn for Musk, who has long enjoyed a warm public rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s government has denied any bias in its approval process and says all three ventures are awaiting the same final clearance.

It is also a reversal of an earlier truce. In 2025, Jio and Airtel both signed deals with SpaceX to offer Starlink services, after first opposing its entry.

What to Watch

Cheap data built Jio, and it is also Musk’s playbook elsewhere. India’s mobile data costs about 8 cents per gigabyte, among the lowest in the world, so any Starlink pricing will face a tough benchmark. Starlink’s India website earlier listed a residential plan at ₹8,600 per month, which makes the “affordable” promise worth watching. For the pricing story so far, read our piece on Starlink pricing.

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