TECHNOLOGY · SUMMARY
Starlink in India: government disputes allegations of obstruction
India rejects Elon Musk’s allegations of discrimination over the conditions for Starlink’s launch. The Ministry of Communications says the operators concerned must still complete their security assessments before applying for spectrum.
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Starlink’s commercial launch in India still has no established timeline. According to TechCrunch, India’s Ministry of Communications has rejected allegations by Elon Musk, who attributes the delay to unidentified business interests. The executive provided no evidence to support this allegation, the outlet reports.
The ministry says its regulatory framework for satellite communications is fair and nondiscriminatory. It states that Starlink and other licensed satellite operators are at a broadly comparable regulatory stage. Their security assessments must be completed before they can apply for spectrum.
Starlink already holds significant approvals and has established partnerships with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, without having begun commercial services in the country. The company also says it has installed ground stations and adapted its operations to Indian security and data sovereignty requirements. These announced preparations are not sufficient to establish that the regulatory process is complete.
The ministry’s response describes a step that is still required; on its own, it does not allow the length of the review or all the causes of the delay to be assessed. The available evidence establishes a public disagreement, but does not demonstrate the alleged discrimination.