New Delhi: The Takshashila Institution has cautioned that Starlink’s satellite broadband entry into India should not be viewed only as a commercial development. It said the move carries deeper challenges linked to national sovereignty, information security and internal security.
In its study, the institution pointed to incidents in Manipur, where security forces seized Starlink equipment amid ethnic unrest. It noted that even after Elon Musk said Starlink services were disabled in India, devices may have continued to function near the Myanmar border due to shortcomings in geo-fencing.
It also cited a case in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where drug traffickers were found using Starlink devices, and alleged that Starlink did not provide details about the users of those terminals. As an international example, it referred to Iran, where despite a nationwide internet shutdown during protests, an estimated 50,000 smuggled Starlink terminals could not be effectively controlled by the government using radio jammers and drones.
The report further highlighted the Ukraine war, where Starlink became central to military communications, but connectivity was reportedly cut during an operation involving Crimea, disrupting actions on the ground. It argued that relying on a private company leader’s decisions for national security is risky, and added that Musk’s close ties with the US administration, the military and NASA could create pressure points if US national interests conflict with India’s.
Takshashila warned that in crises such as disasters or border conflicts, if Indian forces and administration depend on such links, services could be halted unilaterally. It also said that during counter-terror or riot situations, if the government seeks to suspend internet services for internal security, satellite signals outside state control could continue to operate.
