India wants to know more about Starlink’s Pakistan and Bangladesh links: Report

Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is under fresh scrutiny from the Indian government, which has sought detailed disclosures on the company’s proposed operations in neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh, Business Standard has reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The heightened regulatory attention comes amid a sharp deterioration in India-Pakistan diplomatic relations following a recent terrorist attack targeting tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. In the wake of the attack, India announced several punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari land border, and more. Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian carriers and halting bilateral trade.

Amid these tensions, the Indian government’s concerns over Starlink’s regional operations have intensified. A senior official at the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) told Business Standard, “There are still certain security concerns. For a company to provide communication services in India, a large number of technical complications need to be met.”

A major concern is Starlink’s provisional registration in Pakistan, which was granted by Islamabad’s space regulator last month. The Pakistani government has publicly expressed hope that Starlink will begin operations there by the end of 2025, the report said. In contrast, Bangladeshi authorities granted Starlink necessary licences just this week, allowing it to launch services in that country sooner, it added.

Despite regulatory limbo since November 2022, Starlink has recently made significant strides in India. Last month, it signed distribution agreements with telecom majors Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. These deals were widely seen as a precursor to its formal entry into the Indian satcom space.

However, regulatory caution remains. While Starlink has agreed to store user data on Indian servers and limit satellite coverage to authorised Indian territory, it has yet to formally accept stricter conditions such as creating buffer zones along international borders and complying with real-time monitoring mechanisms, the report said.

Officials told Business Standard that the recent government queries to Starlink are part of a routine national security clearance process and may not necessarily delay the evaluation of its pending application.

Commenting on the satellite broadband space in an interview with PTI last month, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said India welcomes all companies, citing the approvals granted to OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications as examples of a level playing field.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. last year, he met with Musk, and the two leaders had a follow-up phone conversation last week. Musk has since announced plans to visit India later this year.

Musk’s electric vehicle firm Tesla is also exploring an India entry.