Starlink under govt scrutiny after company refuses to reveal details on who used its satcom devices in India
Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is facing growing regulatory challenges in India after its communication devices were found in the possession of insurgents and smugglers.
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The discovery has raised concerns within India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), particularly regarding the potential use of these devices for illegal activities.
The situation escalated when authorities uncovered Starlink satellite communication devices during a significant drug bust in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, where smugglers were found to be using the satellite internet services for navigation.
Despite requests from the Indian government for information about the original purchasers of these devices, Starlink has refused to comply, citing data privacy laws. A source within the government confirmed that the MHA has now directed the DoT to take «appropriate steps» to address the matter.
«After the recovery of these devices in the hands of drug smugglers in the Andamans, the government asked Starlink about the ownership details, but the company declined, citing data privacy laws,» the source revealed.
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