Imphal: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has rejected allegations that insurgent groups in Northeast India are using Starlink satellite internet to circumvent government-imposed shutdowns, maintaining that Starlink’s satellite beams remain inactive over India.
The controversy follows reports that Indian security forces recovered Starlink equipment from an insurgent group in Manipur, raising concerns over the possible use of satellite communications in a conflict-affected region.
Musk, along with the X account DogeDesigner, said that possession of a Starlink terminal does not automatically provide internet connectivity in areas where the company’s satellite beams have been disabled.
The issue has also become part of a wider dispute over Starlink’s efforts to enter the Indian telecommunications market. Musk has alleged that domestic telecom interests are attempting to restrict the company’s entry, describing the situation as a consequence of an entrenched telecom oligopoly.
However, reports from the ground have raised questions over whether Starlink terminals may have been operational despite the company’s position. The Guardian, citing sources in the Manipur Police and the insurgent People’s Liberation Army of Manipur, reported that the devices had allegedly been used to access the internet during government-imposed shutdowns.
According to the report, the terminals may have been smuggled into Manipur from neighbouring Myanmar, where Starlink services are reportedly operational. The claims have not been independently established.
Security concerns surrounding the equipment have also emerged elsewhere. The Indian Coast Guard reportedly seized a Starlink device from a vessel allegedly involved in drug smuggling near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Meanwhile, SpaceX executive Lauren Dreyer, speaking at the India Mobile Congress, said the company had established 20 local gateway sites and developed security measures specifically for the Indian market. She said these systems were designed to ensure that user data remains within India.
The Department of Telecommunications has granted initial satellite communication licences to Starlink, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, although operational approvals and security clearances remain part of the regulatory process.
The Indian government has rejected Musk’s allegations of corporate interference, maintaining that the regulatory and security-clearance framework is applied without discrimination.
The dispute therefore remains centred on two separates but overlapping questions: whether Starlink equipment recovered from Manipur was capable of providing connectivity inside India, and whether SpaceX can secure the remaining regulatory approvals required to commercially operate its satellite internet service in the country.