India is not a colony: Kamal Haasan rebuts Elon Musk over Starlink row
Actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has hit back at Elon Musk after the Tesla chief alleged that powerful Indian industrialists were blocking the entry of his satellite internet company, Starlink, into the country.
“India is a democracy, not a colony. We welcome the world, but we, the Indian people, will decide our own future,” Haasan wrote on X.
His remarks came after Musk accused “certain oligarchs” of trying to maintain a “monopolistic chokehold” and prevent Starlink’s launch in India. Musk later asked whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani was the “real boss of India”.
The comments drew a response from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who wrote: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.” Musk thanked him, calling the situation “indeed troubling”.
The government rejected Musk’s allegations, maintaining that the approval process for satellite internet services was fair and non-discriminatory.
The Ministry of Communications said Starlink, Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb had obtained licences, but all three companies were required to complete security assessments and secure spectrum-related approvals before beginning commercial operations.
Haasan said India should welcome competition from both domestic and global companies offering practical and affordable connectivity to remote areas. However, he cautioned that access alone would not ensure digital inclusion if high subscription and equipment costs kept satellite internet beyond the reach of ordinary households.
“Connectivity must bridge the digital divide, not create a new one,” he said.
The actor-politician also stressed the importance of national security, describing telecom networks and spectrum as strategic infrastructure rather than merely commercial assets. India’s security safeguards, he said, were “non-negotiable”.
Haasan further questioned demands for open markets, accusing Western countries of protecting their own industries while advocating competition in other countries. He cited the United States’ 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and pointed out that both India and the US had restricted Chinese telecom firm Huawei over security concerns.
“One cannot demand a level playing field from others only when it suits its own agenda,” he said.
Referring to the CAG’s 2026 audit of BharatNet, Haasan questioned why only 33.2 per cent of service-ready gram panchayats were operational despite Rs 39,888 crore being spent on the rural broadband programme.
At the same time, he said criticism of shortcomings should be accompanied by recognition of India’s telecom sector and its regulatory framework, which had made data affordable and brought millions of people online.