Elon Musk-led satellite communication service provider Starlink will have to wait longer to launch its commercial services in India, as security concerns have intensified following recent incidents involving its operations in Iran, officials said.
According to an official from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the government is unlikely to offer any leniency during the security clearance process. This comes after Starlink was found to have operated in Iran without proper authorisation or licensing, where the use of its services is banned by the Iranian government.
The company allegedly smuggled its equipment, including user terminals, into Iran over the past two years and operated services without a licence. Reports indicate that Starlink even waived monthly subscription fees for users in Iran after the government there shut down internet services.
“Incidents like these have prompted the government to closely scrutinise Starlink’s security aspects in India. The government is taking this matter very seriously and is carefully examining all factors before giving the green signal for Starlink to operate in the country,” the official said.
This is not the first time Starlink equipment has raised concerns in India. In December 2024, Starlink routers and antennas were discovered in Manipur. Additionally, police in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands found that drug smugglers had used a Starlink Mini—a portable satellite communication device with an integrated Wi-Fi router—to communicate while operating in Indian waters.
Although Elon Musk had stated that Starlink’s services were “turned off” in India, reports suggested that the devices continued to function in certain areas. This allegedly enabled individuals and militant groups in Manipur to access the internet during government-imposed shutdowns.
Meanwhile, Starlink has claimed compliance with India’s stringent security norms, including ensuring that all user traffic remains within India and is routed through local gateways instead of foreign ones.
The company has obtained the mandatory Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence to offer satellite communication services to retail consumers. It has also secured a VSAT licence, along with authorisations for in-flight and maritime connectivity.
Apart from Starlink, the government has granted licences to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and the Jio-SES joint venture, Jio Satellite Communications, to provide satellite communication services in India.
The DoT has already allotted spectrum to these companies for demonstrating security compliance. However, so far, none of them has received final approval from security agencies.
Despite the delays, Starlink has leased a large office space in New Delhi and is actively hiring for on-site finance, operations, and compliance roles in Bengaluru to support its planned nationwide rollout.