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Why Starlink's Approval in India is Delayed: Security Rules and Illegal Usage!
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News18•13-10-2026, 18:55
Why Starlink's Approval in India is Delayed: Security Rules and Illegal Usage!
- •Starlink terminals have been illegally smuggled and used in India despite the company not receiving official commercial approval yet.
- •Security forces seized Starlink terminals from banned militants in Manipur and from a drug-smuggling boat intercepted in the Andaman Sea.
- •Globally, the misuse of smuggled Starlink devices in conflict zones and cyber scam centers has raised severe international security concerns.
- •The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs and DoT have imposed stringent security conditions before granting any operational licenses.
- •Mandatory requirements include localized data routing, real-time location tracking, and integration with India's NavIC navigation system by 2029.
Key Questions Answered
Starlink's commercial launch in India is delayed due to pending security clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Telecommunications, alongside concerns regarding spectrum pricing, data routing, and national security safeguards.
The Indian government requires all Starlink data to route exclusively through domestic ground gateways, mandates real-time terminal location tracking every minute or 2.6 km, and requires the exclusive use of India's NavIC navigation system by 2029.
Security concerns intensified after operational Starlink terminals were seized from the banned militant group PLA in Manipur in December 2024, and a mini terminal was used on an intercepted drug-smuggling boat in the Andaman Sea in November 2024.
