Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday she had never discussed with Elon Musk a potential deal to use his Starlink to supply secure communications for the military.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended US billionaire Elon Musk against criticism from other European capitals, describing him as a "brilliant man" in an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera published on Friday.

Billionaire Elon Musk is looking to carve out a role in Italy's telecommunications system by expanding his aerospace business Space X and satellite broadband venture Starlink.

Italian opposition leaders roundly criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government for engaging in talks with Elon Musk’s SpaceX on a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) deal for encrypted communications systems.

Reports that Elon Musk's SpaceX is in advanced negotiations with the Italian government over the provision of internet and telecommunications via its Starlink system have raised security and competition concerns.

Andrea Stroppa, Elon Musk's Italian representative, on Tuesday blasted media coverage of reports that were subsequently denied of an agreement between the Italian government and the world's richest man's SpaceX company.