Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Thousands of Indian Muslim pilgrims are stranded in Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
- Indian government said it is coordinating with airlines and tour operators to arrange for their return
Here is a roundup of our coverage from India from Friday, October 23:
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Skip next section Hindu nationalist group to protest Elon Musk’s Starlink in Delhi10/23/2026October 23, 2026
Hindu nationalist group to protest Elon Musk’s Starlink in Delhi
An organization affiliated with India’s Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) movement will hold a protest march in New Delhi on Friday against SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s Starlink, citing national security and digital sovereignty concerns.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) said the march would begin at 11 a.m. (0530 GMT) in the capital’s Chanakyapuri area.
It has urged the government to block Starlink’s commercial satellite broadband launch, arguing that its network could complicate internet shutdowns and lawful interception during security emergencies.
The campaign follows Musk’s criticism of regulatory delays facing Starlink in India and his accusation that Reliance Industries, led by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is using its market power to block foreign competitors.
In a tweet addressing Ambani as the Prime Minister of India and the “real boss of India,” Musk accused the tycoon of “monopolistic exploitation” of Indians and keeping Starlink out of the market.
Reliance has rejected the allegations.
“It is unfortunate that instead of responding to the information requested from his company on national security grounds, Elon Musk chose to indirectly accuse Indian businesses and the government,” the SJM said in a statement on its website.
The SJM highlighted Starlink in Ukraine as a case study for national security. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the trillionaire ordered the slowdown of a military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service that Kyiv relies on.
Separately, in a sign of Musk’s plummeting popularity in India, recently, controversial Dussehra posters displayed in the northern Lucknow city depicted Musk and other international figures, including US Senator Ilhan Omar, as the ten faces of Ravana, portraying them as opponents of India’s interests.
During the Hindu Dussehra festival effigies of Ravana are traditionally burned symbolizing the victory of good over evil.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5OZhhSkip next section India coordinating return of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia10/23/2026October 23, 2026
India coordinating return of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia
The Indian government said on Thursday it was working to facilitate the return of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight disruptions caused by Houthi attacks on airport infrastructure.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah were coordinating with airlines and tour operators to arrange their return.
Around 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims had returned to India on available flights over the past week, alongside more than 10,000 other Umrah pilgrims who travelled on scheduled services, according to the ministry statement. Umrah refers to the pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest sites outside of the month of Dhul-Hijja.
“Arrangements are being discussed to facilitate the return of other Umrah pilgrims at the earliest,” the ministry said.
Earlier, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had said around 4,000 Indian pilgrims were stranded in Mecca and Medina after Indian carriers cancelled flights.
As Saudi Arabia’s revived war with the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels has intensified in recent weeks, with the Yemeni rebels targeting several major Saudi airports, some Indians have found themselves caught in the middle.
On Wednesday, one Indian national was killed and two others injured in an attack on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia, while another was injured in an attack on the Shaybah oil field.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5OZdESkip next section Welcome to our coverage!10/23/2026October 23, 2026
Welcome to our coverage!
Hello! This is Shakeel from DW’s New Delhi bureau bringing you the latest updates from across India.
The escalating conflict between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia has left Indian Muslim pilgrims caught in the crossfire. The Indian government says it is coordinating efforts to ensure their safe return home.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s popularity among Indian nationalist groups appears to be waning even as the billionaire seeks to expand Starlink’s presence in the country. An affiliate of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is planning a protest march in New Delhi today against the satellite internet provider.
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