Musk steps up attack on Ambani
Shares reports on alleged Reliance links to BJP campaigns, donations
Elon Musk on Saturday continued his extraordinary swipes at Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani, sharing screenshots of media reports that alleged a Reliance-funded firm helped boost BJP campaigns on social media and that a Reliance-linked company made large political donations to the ruling party.
The latest post by Musk on X featured an Al Jazeera report from 2022 headlined “How a Reliance-funded firm boosts BJP’s campaigns on Facebook” and an archived Indian Express report from 2024 on Qwik Supply, which reported that the Reliance-linked firm donated Rs 385 crore to the BJP and Rs 25 crore to the Shiv Sena through electoral bonds.
The latest post comes amid Musk’s scathing criticism of Mukesh Ambani over a persistent delay in the launch of Starlink satellite broadband services in India.
Reliance has not publicly responded to Musk’s allegations. At the same time, the Government has maintained that the country’s authorisation framework for telecom and satellite services is “fair and non-discriminatory” and that any suggestion that it was being applied selectively was “baseless and misconceived”.
At the India Mobile Congress this week, as Musk’s dramatic confrontations and swipes played out on X in the backdrop of India’s swanky annual showcase of its telecom prowess, Reliance Jio Infocomm Chairman Akash Ambani declined to comment on the ongoing debate over satellite communication services, saying the company was focused on delivering value to Indian consumers.
A few hours before he made the post, Musk on X addressed Mukesh Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani” and accused him of protecting a monopoly. Musk asked whether Ambani would consider letting his satellite internet service compete with his company in the country.
On Friday, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asserted that India does not permit monopolies in any sector, and that despite the buzz around one particular company, three players have received satcom licences and can start operations after meeting the security requirements and milestones.
