The battle over Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in India moved from boardrooms to the streets of Delhi on Friday. Members of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), marched to Teen Murti Chowk in Chanakyapuri with banners and placards, raising slogans of “Elon Musk haay haay” and “Videshi network nahi chalega”. Their demand: the Centre must deny Starlink permission to launch commercial satellite broadband services in India.
After the demonstration, SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spelling out why the organisation believes Starlink’s technology poses a risk to national security and India’s digital sovereignty. The memorandum asks the government to refuse the company an operating licence until those concerns are addressed.
What the memorandum to PM Modi says
At the heart of SJM’s objection is how Starlink’s satellites talk to each other. The company uses laser-based inter-satellite links, which allow data to travel directly between satellites in orbit. The memorandum argues this could let internet traffic bypass domestic gateways entirely, making it harder for Indian authorities to monitor communications lawfully or switch off services during security-related emergencies.
“The government is examining this system to ensure that data cannot bypass Indian gateways during security-related emergencies,” Mahajan wrote in the memorandum, adding that Starlink had not committed to meeting certain requirements, or might face technological limitations in doing so.
The letter also takes aim at Musk himself. Mahajan alleged that instead of responding to clarifications the Centre had sought on national security grounds, the Tesla and SpaceX chief had “indirectly” levelled allegations against Indian businesses and the government.
“It appears that Starlink is perhaps not prepared to meet those specific requirements. Consequently, it seems Elon Musk is either attempting to secure the licence by creating public pressure against the government or is making these statements out of frustration,” the memorandum states.
Why satellite internet is a different ballgame
The SJM’s argument rests on one key difference between Starlink and conventional telecom networks. Mobile and broadband operators run on terrestrial infrastructure: local towers, fibre-optic cables and gateways located on Indian soil, through which authorities can enforce regulatory and security requirements.
Satellite internet works differently. Its signals come from space, not from a tower next door. The organisation argues that this could complicate:
- Internet shutdowns: the government’s ability to restrict connectivity in sensitive areas during law-and-order emergencies.
- Lawful interception: monitoring of communications under Indian law.
- Data routing: ensuring Indian internet traffic passes through domestic gateways.
Mahajan also made a case for self-reliance, saying India must develop its own satellite internet infrastructure for commercial and strategic reasons. He pointed to an existing constellation of communication satellites developed through Indian efforts, a reference widely read as an allusion to the OneWeb constellation, in which the Bharti Group is an investor.
Where Starlink stands in India
Despite the global buzz around the service, Starlink is not yet cleared for commercial operations in India. The Union government is still examining spectrum allotment requests from three companies: OneWeb India Communications, Jio Satellite Communications and Starlink Satellite Communications.
The SJM’s street protest follows a demand it had raised earlier this month for Starlink’s licence to be withheld. Friday’s march, however, marks a clear escalation, putting the organisation’s objections in the public eye and directly before the Prime Minister’s office.
For Starlink, India remains one of the most attractive markets in the world, with hundreds of millions of potential users in areas where fibre and mobile networks are thin. For the government, the decision now involves weighing that connectivity promise against the security conditions it has set for satellite operators.
What happens next
The memorandum is now with the Prime Minister’s office, and the Department of Telecommunications has yet to respond publicly to the protest. Starlink’s fate in India will likely turn on whether the company can satisfy the Centre on monitoring, interception and shutdown compliance.
Meanwhile, rivals such as Jio and OneWeb are also waiting in the spectrum queue. Whichever way the decision goes, Friday’s protest has ensured that Starlink’s India entry will face questions that go well beyond tariffs and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet service run by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space company. It beams broadband internet from thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit, reaching places where fibre cables and mobile towers are hard to build.
Why is the Swadeshi Jagran Manch opposing Starlink?
The RSS-affiliated organisation says Starlink’s laser-based links between satellites could let data bypass Indian gateways, making it difficult for authorities to monitor traffic or restrict services during emergencies. It wants the Centre to deny the company an operating licence.
Is Starlink available in India right now?
No. Commercial services are still awaiting government approvals, including spectrum allotment, which remains pending for Starlink and its competitors.
What did the Delhi protest demand?
Protesters at Teen Murti Chowk on October 23 demanded that the government deny Starlink permission to operate, prioritise national security, and back indigenous satellite internet infrastructure. A memorandum was submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the march.
Who else is trying to launch satellite internet in India?
OneWeb India Communications and Jio Satellite Communications have also sought spectrum allotment, alongside Starlink Satellite Communications.
Informeia will keep tracking this story as the government’s decision unfolds. Stay tuned for the latest on Starlink’s India plans.
