New Delhi: Trouble mounted for Starlink as the RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) intensified its campaign against the proposed commercial rollout of Elon Musk’s satellite internet service in India.
Chants of ‘Elon Musk haay haay’ and ‘Videshi network nahi chalega’ rang out at Teen Murti Chowk in Delhi on Friday as SJM activists demanded that the government must prioritise national security and India’s digital sovereignty over the entry of a foreign company.
The Chanakyapuri protest follows SJM’s demand earlier this month that the Centre deny Starlink permission to launch commercial satellite broadband services in India.
According to SJM, Musk’s satellite network could lead to challenges for India’s indigenous telecommunications sector, and complicate the government’s ability to enforce internet shutdowns, monitor communications through lawful interception.
The SJM has highlighted satellite internet differs from conventional telecom networks. Traditional mobile and broadband services rely on terrestrial infrastructure, including local towers, fibre-optic networks and gateways, whereas Starlink, operated by SpaceX, uses a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide internet connectivity.
SJM has argued that inter-satellite laser links and the network’s architecture could make it difficult for Indian authorities to ensure that traffic passes through domestic gateways or to restrict connectivity in specific locations during emergencies.
In its statement on October 13, SJM mentioned situations involving terrorism, separatism, riots and other law-and-order challenges, arguing that authorities must retain the ability to suspend internet services in affected areas.
Starlink has not been able to begin commercial operations in India despite obtaining key regulatory approvals.
Business Standard reported recently that Starlink has secured a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite licence from India’s Department of Telecommunications and authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, but is awaiting further approvals.
Musk has claimed that Indian business interests like those of the Ambanis is obstructing competition. The government has rejected allegations that its approval process unfairly favours particular companies.