Even as billionaire Elon Musk is set to enter the Indian market with his Starlink, there is plenty of controversy that is already surrounding it.
There is already a tussle between Musk and Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Mittal in the manner in which a decision has to be made. The government of India has said that satellite communication services would be allotted administratively rather than through an auction. While Musk has welcomed this decision, Ambani and Mittal say that the allocation of the spectrum should be done through auctioning.
The future of Starlink
As of now there is no official communication on granting of satellite communication licenses to Starlink. Last month the government had said that Starlink was in the process of obtaining security clearance, which requires compliance with Bharat’s data storage and satellite signal security requirements.
Even before Starlink can make an official entry, it is already in the news owing to certain incidents that have taken place.
During a major drug bust at Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the security agencies had said that those who were transporting the contraband were using Starlink services. The six persons who were arrested following the bust are from Myanmar and the agencies found Starlink related equipment on them.
Further during a raid at Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district the security forces seized internet devices along with arms and ammunition. The Spear Corps of the Indian Army shared images of the seized equipment on X and this led to user pointing out that one of the devices had a Starlink logo on it.
A user had tagged Musk stating that Starlink was being used by terrorists. The user also hoped that Musk would look into it and help control the misuse of technology.
Musk was however quick to react and said that the information is false and Starlink satellite beams are turned off in India.
How did terrorists use Starlink
If what Elon Musk is saying is right, then the question arises as to how was Starlink being used by drug smugglers. Experts tell Organiser that there are two possibilities. One is that the devices could be fake and may be part of a campaign by some international elements to defame Starlink.
The second is that these elements may have taken advantage of some kind of a loophole and used the system.
The authorities have launched a full fledged investigation following the raids. They are looking into how the equipment made its way into the region. It is important to note that Starlink services are not fully operational in Bharat. However the services are available in several other parts of the world including South and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Philippines and Sri Lanka. In Bharat it remains at the beta testing phase and is awaiting necessary regulatory approvals.
The use of Starlink in Manipur point towards the unauthorised and improvised use of the technology. This could be due to potential gaps in regulation and monitoring of advanced communication systems especially in conflict zones.
In 2022, a few hours after Russia attacked Ukraine, the deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov had reached out to Musk and requested the activation of Starlink’s broadband services. Musk had agreed to activate the services immediately after the Ukrainian deputy prime minister made the request. However later reports indicated that Russia had procured Starlink terminals and used them in Ukraine.
In February 2024, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief acknowledged that Russian troops had been using Starlink terminals for quite a long time. This would suggest that the system had been bypassed and Starlink’s services were being used.
Red flags raised
A think tank Kutniti Foundation recently raised red flags pointing to Starlink’s extensive ties with US Intelligence and military agencies. It claimed that this connection could threaten Bharat’s national interests.
Describing starling as a wold in sheep’s clothing, the report said that the technology is heavily influenced by American governmental interests. It further added that Starlink operates as a dual use technology, with its primary customer and sponsor being the US government’s Intelligence and military sectors. Unlike traditional mobile service provides that rely on local telecom infrastructure, Starlink uses a satellite constellation of global internet connectivity with operational control residing outside Bharat’s jurisdiction. This could have serious implications on national security, the report also said.
“Starlink’s constellation of satellites enables a new, borderless internet access, bypassing local governance structures and granting direct access between individual users and American authorities,” the report added.
These concerns have been acknowledged by New Delhi. Communications Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasised that Starlink has yet to fulfil the security requirements. He said that the license for Starlink would be considered only once it meets all regularity standards mandated for satellite broadband in the country.
The Kutniti report also said that Starlink has allegedly bypassed sovereignty and democratic norms in Brazil, Ukraine and Iran framing it as a tool for the US to leverage its geopolitical interests.
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