A Tamil news commentary has alleged that the United States is attempting to gain influence over India’s vast internet ecosystem, and that billionaire Elon Musk is keen to enter and dominate the market through his satellite internet venture, Starlink. The piece argues that political backing from US leadership would support Musk’s push.
Citing TRAI figures, it notes that India had about 104 crore wireless internet connections as of March 2026, along with 4.66 crore wired connections, compared with roughly 33 crore internet connections in the US. The article presents these numbers as evidence of why India’s digital market is strategically attractive.
The commentary says Starlink’s satellite-based model faces hurdles in India due to security-related restrictions. It claims that because the network operates directly via satellites, it may fall outside India’s control, and that user data could be more easily accessed from abroad—an argument it says underpins India’s regulatory stance.
It further points to a post attributed to Musk on X questioning who “owns” India and alleging betrayal by the central government. The article also argues that Starlink services could be significantly more expensive than India’s current low-cost internet, potentially affecting affordability for poorer users.
The piece goes on to speculate about possible future political and social unrest driven through social media narratives and algorithms, and criticises domestic political actors for opposing the central government’s measures. These claims are presented as the author’s assertions and are not supported with independent evidence in the text.
