The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Tuesday urged the Centre to deny Elon Musk’s Starlink permission to launch commercial satellite broadband services in India, citing concerns over national security, internet monitoring and law enforcement.
The demand comes amid a public dispute between Musk and industrialist Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s entry into the Indian market. Musk has alleged that the satellite internet company is being blocked by powerful business interests, a claim the government has rejected.
Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convenor of the SJM, said India was justified in withholding approval if Starlink failed to meet the government’s security requirements.
“Blocking Starlink would send a message to trade partners like the US … that India is certainly within its rights to block Starlink based on its genuine national security concerns,” Mahajan said in a statement.
SJM Raises Concerns Over Internet Restrictions
Mahajan argued that satellite internet technology could make it difficult for authorities to enforce internet restrictions during protests, riots, terrorist attacks and other law-and-order situations.
“Currently, India is grappling with various law-and-order challenges. In such situations, internet-based social media often fuels rumours and anti-national narratives,” he said.
He added that disrupting internet services was sometimes considered necessary to maintain law and order during separatist activities, terrorism, riots and protests.
The SJM also questioned whether Starlink’s satellite-to-satellite laser links could allow Indian internet traffic to bypass domestic gateways and pass through foreign infrastructure, potentially complicating lawful monitoring.
“The government wants Indian traffic routed through gateways within India,” Mahajan said.
He further argued that satellite internet could be misused by hostile actors, smugglers and insurgent groups to communicate outside conventional telecommunications networks.
These concerns, however, reflect the organisation’s stated position and do not establish that Starlink’s services have been used for such activities in India.
Starlink Approval and Musk-Ambani Dispute
Mahajan said Starlink had applied for permission to operate commercial satellite broadband services in India but had neither received approval nor had its application rejected.
He suggested that Musk’s public criticism of the government could be an attempt to put pressure on authorities to secure a licence, or a response to frustration over regulatory requirements.
“It appears that Starlink is perhaps not prepared to meet those specific requirements,” Mahajan said.
Musk has also criticised the delay in Starlink’s entry into India and accused certain business interests of protecting a monopoly. His dispute with Ambani has intensified following his social media posts about alleged links between Reliance-funded entities and online political campaigns. Reliance has not publicly responded to the allegations cited in the reports.
The Centre has described claims that India’s regulatory framework favours particular companies as “baseless and misconceived”, maintaining that its authorisation process for telecommunications and satellite services is fair and non-discriminatory.
SJM Backs Domestic Satellite Internet Services
The organisation said denying Starlink permission would not prevent India from developing satellite-based internet services through domestic providers.
Mahajan argued that Indian companies and scientists could eventually offer more affordable services while meeting national security requirements.
He cited the SJM’s earlier opposition to Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE participating in India’s 5G trials as an example of its concerns about technology and security.
The SJM also linked its demand to trade disputes with the United States, arguing that India should retain the right to restrict foreign companies on national security grounds.
