Starlink helping militants bypass shutdowns? Elon Musk reacts amid India launch row

Elon Musk has rejected claims that Starlink was being used by insurgent groups in India's northeast to bypass internet shutdowns. The issue resurfaced amid a renewed debate over the delay in Starlink's launch in India.

In Short

• Elon Musk denies Starlink use by insurgents, says beams off over India
• Starlink devices were seized in Manipur by army in 2024
• Issue resurfaces as Musk blames 'oligarhs' for blocking Starlink entry

Is Starlink being used by insurgent groups in India's northeast to bypass internet shutdowns? Tech titan Elon Musk on Thursday rejected the claims, clarifying that Starlink's satellite beams were turned off over India. The issue resurfaced amid a renewed debate over the delay in Starlink's launch in India. Starlink is still waiting for security clearances to start commercial services in India.

In 2024, security forces seized a Starlink dish and router from an insurgent group in Manipur. The incident was highlighted by a news portal, The Modern Himachal, after Musk blamed "certain oligarchs" for "blocking" Starlink's entry into India. In a post on X, The Modern Himachal said clearances involve more than commercial rivalry and cited the recovery of the Starlink devices in Manipur.

WHAT ELON MUSK SAID?

Starlink, SpaceX's telecommunications subsidiary, provides satellite broadband service.

"For a lot of people here, the larger concern is that unlicensed satellite links can also serve armed groups in sensitive border areas, which is why clearances involve more than commercial rivalry," The Modern Himachal said.

An X handle called DogeDesigner, an anonymous account linked to dogecoin projects and frequent engagement with Musk's posts, challenged the narrative. It stressed that with satellite beams off, no Starlink device can connect in India.

It was seconded by Musk himself. "Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false," the SpaceX CEO tweeted.

Finding a Starlink device in India, however, does not mean it is usable in the country.

Musk had rejected similar claims in December 2024 after the devices carrying the Starlink label were seized along with arms and ammunition during army raids in Manipur. Starlink is in use in Myanmar, which neighbours Manipur.

The episode has now gained fresh attention as Starlink awaits regulatory clearance to begin operations in India.

MUSK FUMES ON STARLINK INDIA LAUNCH DELAY

On Thursday, a fuming Musk cited a "monopolistic chokehold" behind the inordinate delay in Starlink's India launch. Musk, the world's richest person, was reacting to a post by DogeDesigner that said Starlink was needed in India due to a large number of villages still not having broadband connectivity.

"Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people," Musk tweeted. "You can guess who they are. This is a crime against the people of India," he further said, without taking any names.

However, the government dismissed Musk's remarks as baseless, asserting that its framework for satellite services like Starlink remained fair and non-discriminatory.

Presently, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel dominate India's telecom market. In 2025, the Department of Telecom gave satellite communication licences to Starlink, Jio and OneWeb. However, they are yet to begin full commercial services.

A report in Bloomberg said agencies under the Home Ministry were holding back clearances for Starlink due to security concerns.

Addressing this issue at the India Mobile Congress (IMC), SpaceX executive Lauren Dreyer asserted that Starlink has developed India-specific security controls and user data would be kept inside the country.

She underlined that the ground infrastructure was already in place, with 20 gateway sites, comprising hundreds of antennas, established.

"We have built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of security requirements and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India, and keeping Indian user data within India," Dreyer said.

WHEN STARLINK DEVICES WERE SEIZED FROM INSURGENTS

For Starlink, security clearance has been the major hurdle.

The concerns were amplified after Starlink devices were found to be used by militant groups in conflict-ridden Manipur in 2024. At that time, Manipur was gripped by ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis.

Police had then said the devices were likely smuggled from Myanmar, where Starlink is operational.

Even though Musk said that Starlink beams are turned off over India, sources within armed groups and Manipur police told The Guardian that it worked in several areas near the Myanmar border.

A member of the People's Liberation Army of Manipur (PLA) told The Guardian that Starlink devices were used by the group to access the internet inside Manipur during government shutdowns.

The leader said the Starlink device was initially used by the group in Myanmar, but then they found out that it also functioned across the border in Manipur.

The same year, the Indian Coast Guard seized a Starlink device onboard a boat near Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The boat was being used to smuggle drugs. Police said the device was likely being used for navigation in Indian waters.

- Ends