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Tag: Starlink

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink Partners with Jio and Airtel to Launch High-Speed Satellite Internet in India

    Elon Musk’s Starlink has joined forces with India’s leading telecom companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, to bring satellite internet services to the country. These partnerships aim to enhance internet access, especially in remote and underserved regions.

    Reliance Jio, led by Mukesh Ambani, announced its agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink on March 12, 2025. This partnership plans to distribute Starlink’s satellite internet equipment through Jio’s extensive retail network across India. The collaboration looks to integrate Starlink’s satellite technology with Jio’s existing broadband services with the aim of providing reliable high-speed internet across India, including in the most remote areas.

    A day earlier, on March 11, 2025, Bharti Airtel, led by Sunil Bharti Mittal and India’s second-largest telecom operator signed a similar deal with Starlink. This agreement aims to explore the integration of satellite internet services into Airtel’s offerings. The collaboration focuses on enhancing connectivity for businesses, schools, healthcare centres, and rural communities. By combining Airtel’s ground infrastructure with Starlink’s satellite capabilities, the partnership seeks to bridge the digital divide in India’s underserved regions.

    Regulatory Approvals and Market Potential

    Both deals need approval from the Indian government. Starlink has been waiting for a license since 2022, mainly due to security concerns. The government prefers assigning spectrum instead of auctioning it, which matches Starlink’s view. These partnerships may help speed up Starlink’s approval in India.

    India presents a vast market for Internet services, with 40% of the population still lacking Internet access. The introduction of satellite-based internet aims to bridge this gap, providing connectivity in areas where traditional broadband services are challenging to deploy.

    Implications for the Indian Telecom Industry

    These partnerships mark a significant shift in India’s telecom industry. Despite previous disagreements over spectrum allocation methods, the collaborations indicate a unified effort to enhance connectivity across the country. Analysts view these tie-ups as beneficial for all parties, easing Starlink’s entry without clashing with local leaders. The deals coincide with broader political and economic cooperation between India and the US.

    Future Prospects

    The successful implementation of these partnerships could make the way for other ventures by Elon Musk, including Tesla, to establish a presence in India. They may also help address security concerns near sensitive borders by ensuring reliable communication. While pricing remains a challenge in a market with cheap mobile data, the impact on India’s digital growth could be huge.

    In conclusion, the agreements between Starlink and India’s telecom giants, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, represent a strategic move to enhance internet connectivity across the country. By utilising satellite technology, these partnerships aim to bridge the digital divide, bringing high-speed internet to millions, particularly in remote and underserved regions.

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  • Elon Musk’s SpaceX Company’s Starlink Devices were Confiscated from Manipur

    On December 18, 2024, sources notified a media outlet that Manipur’s security forces had retrieved Starlink internet devices from the Imphal East district, along with sniper guns, pistols, grenades, and other weapons. According to the report, the retrieval took place on December 13 during a concerted operation in multiple districts, including Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangpokpi. The first satellite constellation in the world, Starlink is owned by US tech tycoon Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, and offers broadband internet anywhere in the world where the service has a licence to operate.

    Refuting the Claims

    When asked if militants in India use Starlink, Musk responded that the claims are “false” and that Starlink satellite beams are switched off over India. Security authorities said the recovery of the Starlink gadget has led the appropriate agencies to look into how the technology got to the state that is riven by conflict. Starlink is not authorised to conduct business in India. The discovery of sophisticated satellite internet gear represents a concerning increase in insurgent capabilities, even though such seizures usually contain weapons and ammunition. The insurgents’ use of Starlink, which offers high-speed satellite internet, suggests a possible change in their operating approach by allowing them to get past conventional communication obstacles.

    In India’s insurgency-prone areas, Starlink’s capacity to deliver dependable internet connection in isolated and disconnected locations presents a special risk. The satellite internet provides end-to-end encryption, which makes it more difficult for intelligence services to monitor rebel conversations than traditional communication systems that are susceptible to disruption or interception. The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) and its armed component, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), one of the most active rebel groups in Manipur, were identified by markings on the discovered device.

    Given that Starlink does not currently have a satellite broadband licence in India, the use of such technology sparked concerns about how the terrorists obtained the gadget. Security experts think that in order to get around restrictions, the device might have been smuggled into the nation or activated using phoney geotagging. According to a senior officer, this is more than just a technological seizure; it’s a window into the evolution of insurgency groups. The official also noted that the ability to access high-speed internet from distant locations alters the dynamics of coordination and communication for these organisations.

    Additional Consequences of Security Agencies

    Counterinsurgency operations face a number of difficulties when militants use satellite internet. Now, insurgent organisations may share real-time intelligence, run propaganda campaigns, and more efficiently coordinate operations across vast places.

    Conventional techniques for tracking insurgent communications, like phone interceptions and internet usage surveillance, might lose their effectiveness. Instead of depending on local networks, rebels may use Starlink to communicate directly with outside organisations, sponsors, or supporters.

    The civilian population may potentially be at risk from this trend, according to security experts. Insurgents’ unfettered access to the world internet creates opportunities for cyberattacks, the dissemination of false information, and even recruitment efforts aimed at young people who are particularly vulnerable.

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  • Police Notify Elon Musk’s Starlink in $4.25 Billion Drug Smuggling Case

    Indian police are now keeping an eye on Elon Musk’s Starlink after drug smugglers allegedly used one of its internet service devices to transport $4.25 billion worth of cocaine from Myanmar into Indian waters. According to reports cited by a media house, police officers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have served Starlink with a legal notice requesting the identity of the buyer of the gadget that enabled the peddlers to smuggle illegal goods into the nation by water. The payment method used to buy the Starlink Mini device connected to the drug smuggling case, registration information, and usage history are among the other elements the police are looking for.

    Police Found Satellite Internet Device

    Six Myanmar nationals were arrested by the local police in November for carrying more than 6,000 kg of meth on a boat. On the same boat, the police officers discovered the satellite internet gadget. The case’s senior police officer went on to say that the incident sparked “alarm bells” because it was the first time that drugs were smuggled into Indian waters using a Starlink device to cross the deep sea. This development coincides with Starlink’s application for a government licence to provide its satcom services in the nation. It is already involved in a dispute with two of the biggest telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, regarding the distribution of satcom spectrum.

    Tug of War Between Companies Over Allocation of Spectrum

    Airtel and Jio have requested an auction of the satcom spectrum, while Starlink and Amazon Kuiper have demanded that the spectrum be distributed administratively. It is important to remember that Starlink has not yet received the Centre’s security authorisation to begin offering satellite broadband services in India. The government wants the business to guarantee that data processing and storage would take place locally.

    This comes after Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of communications, stated last month that satellite service spectrum will be distributed administratively but at a “cost” that would be determined by TRAI following thorough discussions with relevant parties. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the Minister of State (MoS) for communications, stated earlier this month that satcom should be viewed as an adjunct to terrestrial networks like 5G and 6G in order to close the digital gap and improve last-mile connectivity in India.

    Earlier this month, the director of Starlink Satellite Communications, Parnil Urdhwareshe, stated during the open house that Indian consumers desire satellite broadband services and that these “intelligent consumers” are entitled to select an operator that will offer them a high-quality, reasonably priced service. He noted that Starlink’s website easily provides costs for any country and that the company takes pride in making satellite broadband accessible to those who have not yet had it.

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  • Starlink, Owned by Musk, is Pursuing Indian security Clearance for Satellite Broadband

    The telecoms minister stated on 12 November 2024 that Elon Musk’s Starlink is requesting security clearance for a licence to provide satellite internet services in India and will receive permission if all requirements are met.

    When New Delhi announced last month that it will allocate satellite broadband spectrum administratively rather than through an auction, as Musk had requested, Starlink’s long-term aspirations to join India took a significant boost. Mukesh Ambani, a rival Indian telecom mogul, has requested an auction.

    In order to receive security clearance, Starlink must convince New Delhi that it processes and maintains data locally and that its satellite signals are secure, according to Indian telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who made this announcement recently. “You receive the licence once all the requirements are met. At an event in New Delhi, Scindia stated, “We will be very happy if they (Starlink) do that.”

    Musk’s plans to provide broadband to Indians, a market that Ambani’s Reliance Jio now controls with 14 million wired connections, would be one step closer if Starlink were granted security clearance. According to a media report, Ambani, the richest man in Asia, has over 479 million Indian telecom users. However, he is worried that after investing $19 billion on airwave auctions, he now runs the risk of losing internet customers as well as maybe data and phone clients to Musk as technology develops. A report claims that Reliance already has security clearance to begin offering satellite broadband services.

    According to various media reports, Starlink has informed the Indian government that it is prepared to abide by all of New Delhi’s security regulations.

    To begin providing satellite broadband services, businesses must still acquire spectrum after receiving security clearance. Ambani provided free data on his mobile services, and Musk has used similar forceful strategies. Musk upset regional telecom companies by pricing Starlink at $10 a month in Kenya as opposed to $120 in the US.

    Fierce Competition in Indian Spectrum Satellite Space

    Hours after Elon Musk denounced the auction process that rival billionaire Mukesh Ambani was pursuing as “unprecedented,” the Indian government recently announced that it will distribute spectrum for satellite broadband administratively rather than through an auction.

    The process of allocating spectrum for satellite services in India, a market expected to expand 36% annually to reach $1.9 billion by 2030, has been a divisive topic since last year in what is perceived as a battle between billionaires.

    Musk’s Starlink contends that administrative licence distribution follows a worldwide pattern, while India’s Reliance, which is run by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, claims that an auction is necessary to guarantee fair competition and that Indian law does not specify how individuals can receive satellite broadband services. At a ceremony in New Delhi, Telecoms Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the telecom watchdog would determine the spectrum’s pricing and that it would be administratively distributed in accordance with Indian law.

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  • “We are Committed to Providing the People of India with the Highest Quality of Service we can”- Musk

    Elon Musk applauded the Indian government’s choice to utilise an administrative process instead of an auction to distribute satellite broadband spectrum. Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet startup, is expected to benefit from this action as it eliminates the need for competitive bidding to obtain spectrum in the nation.

    Jyotiraditya Scindia, India’s Minister of Telecom, stated at a New Delhi event that the telecom regulator will decide pricing and that spectrum allocation will take place administratively. Scindia stressed that this strategy is in line with global norms, saying, “If you do decide to auction it, then you will be doing something that is different from the rest of the world.”

    The choice was made in the midst of discussion about how satellite spectrum should be distributed in India, which is essential for the launch of satellite-based internet services there.

    Musk stated on X (previously Twitter) that he will try his hardest to use Starlink to help the people of India. In addition, he observed that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency responsible for satellite communications, has long designated this form of spectrum for shared use among satellite operators and that an auction for the spectrum would be unprecedented.

    Reliance Still Pushing for Auction

    Even if Musk’s Starlink is in favour of administrative allocation, India’s telecom behemoths are against the move. The billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s company Reliance had previously contested the regulatory consultation procedure, claiming that an auction is required to guarantee fairness. They think satellite companies, particularly those hoping to service affluent urban areas, ought to buy spectrum just like regular telecom companies.

    The auction approach was also supported by Sunil Mittal, the chair of Bharti Airtel and co-chair of Eutelsat. Speaking at the event in New Delhi, Mittal stated that satellite businesses that want to enter the urban market should purchase spectrum in the same way that telecom companies do.

    The ITU’s criteria for shared spectrum allocation for satellites are widely adhered to globally, thereby endorsing the position of Musk and other satellite operators. But domestic telecom giants like Airtel and Reliance are worried about keeping the playing field equitable. They contend that, given the rising demand for satellite internet services in cities, auctioning will bring justice and transparency to the distribution of spectrum.

    OneWeb, an Airtel-partnered subsidiary of Eutelsat, had also voiced requests in its representations to the Indian government earlier in 2023 regarding the auctioning of satellite spectrum. Global satellite providers, such as Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, meanwhile, maintain their support for administrative distributions since they see spectrum as a common resource.

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  • The Brazilian Supreme Court Orders Freeze on Starlink’s Bank Accounts Amid Elon Musk’s Legal Battle

    An order effectively freezing Starlink’s finances in Brazil was issued by the country’s top court, marking a significant move against Elon Musk’s internet satellite startup.

    This ruling, which was published on 29 August 2024, prohibits Starlink from engaging in any financial activities in Brazil. It is a major escalation of the continuing dispute between Musk’s businesses and the Brazilian court.

    This whole thing started because Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil’s Supreme Court and Musk’s social media site X (which was formerly Twitter) got into a disagreement.

    Justice Moraes summoned X on 28 August 2024 and gave the platform till 29 August’s night to choose a Brazilian lawyer. In the event that X’s operations within the country are not suspended, compliance with this order is mandatory.

    Starlink voiced its displeasure with the judicial procedure in a statement posted on X, asserting that the order had been secretly granted in violation of Brazil’s constitutional guarantee of due process.

    The business countered that the order was flawed because it wrongly assumed Starlink should pay X’s penalty, which it claims was illegally imposed. As far as anyone can tell, Starlink plans to dispute the decision in court.

    The Brazilian judiciary and Musk’s businesses have been at odds for a while. The Brazilian government has stepped up its attack on fake news and hate speech accounts on social media.

    In the lead of these initiatives, Justice Moraes has taken a firm stance against platforms that disregard court orders meant to limit dangerous content on the internet.

    Following Musk’s public vow to disobey a Brazilian court ruling that had barred specific accounts on the platform, Moraes declared in April that Musk was being investigated for obstruction of justice. The Brazilian judiciary appears to be expanding its jurisdiction to encompass Musk’s other businesses, as this fight has recently intensified to encompass Starlink.

    Reaction from Musk

    Millions of Brazilians depend on Starlink’s services, and the move to freeze the company’s funds in Brazil could affect them all. Forty million Brazilians, or almost 20% of the population, use X at least once a month, according to market research firm Emarketer. The move against Starlink has the ability to impede services for these customers and adds fuel to the fire between Musk’s businesses and the Brazilian government.

    Elon Musk vented his anger on X, highlighting the fact that X and SpaceX are separate companies with separate stockholders. He said that the verdict was unlawful and unfairly punished other stockholders as well as the Brazilian people, and he called Moraes the “dictator” of the ruling. Global internet businesses operating in locations with varied regulatory regimes face complicated legal and ethical challenges, as Musk’s comment highlights the friction between his enterprises and the Brazilian judiciary.

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