KHARGE ACCUSES MODI GOVERNMENT OF FAVOURING CORPORATE GIANTS AS STARLINK ROW REIGNITES MONOPOLY DEBATE
October 9, 2026
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of weakening competition and encouraging monopolistic and duopolistic market structures, alleging that the ruling BJP was favouring powerful business interests at the expense of smaller enterprises and unemployed young people. His remarks came amid a fresh controversy over Elon Musk’s Starlink and the approval process for satellite internet services in India.
In a post on X, Kharge alleged that the government’s economic policies were designed to transfer control of the economy to favoured corporate groups, with the BJP benefiting politically and financially. He described the alleged concentration of economic power as “economic terrorism” and argued that the elimination of competition had undermined the foundations of economic liberalisation.
Citing developments in the telecommunications sector, Kharge said India had 13 players before 2014, whereas only three major private operators remained. He also pointed to the domestic aviation industry, arguing that the number of major players had fallen from seven before 2014 to two today. He extended his criticism to digital payments, cement and food-delivery platforms, alleging that competition had been systematically weakened across several industries.
The Congress chief further claimed that micro, small and medium enterprises had suffered from the economic policies pursued by the BJP government, contributing to business closures and severe unemployment among young people. He contrasted the Congress’s role in economic liberalisation with what he characterised as the BJP’s approach of concentrating market power in the hands of a few influential businesses.
The political exchange followed allegations by US business tycoon Elon Musk, who accused unnamed powerful business interests of obstructing Starlink’s entry into the Indian market to protect existing commercial dominance. Musk questioned the influence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani and the government’s handling of the pending approval process for Starlink’s operations.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi subsequently responded to Musk on X with the remark, “Wait till you discover the other guy.” Musk replied by thanking Gandhi and describing the situation as troubling.
The Union government’s position differs from the allegations made by Musk and the Congress. The Telecom Ministry has rejected claims that Starlink is being unfairly obstructed, maintaining that the three licensed satellite communications companies—Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb—are broadly at the same stage of the regulatory process, with security assessments still under way.
The controversy has revived a larger political debate over competition, corporate concentration and the relationship between the government and major businesses. While the Congress has accused the BJP of favouring selected corporate groups, the government’s position is that the companies are proceeding through the applicable regulatory requirements. The pending Starlink approval has consequently become the latest flashpoint in the wider confrontation over economic policy and market power in India.
