Why RSS affiliate wants Centre to deny Elon Musk's Starlink a licence for satellite internet in India

Jagran (SJM), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, urged the Union government to deny Elon Musk-owned Starlink permission to launch commercial satellite broadband services in India, citing national security concerns, according to The Hindu.

In a statement, SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said internet services sometimes need to be suspended during riots, terrorism-related incidents and other law-and-order situations to prevent the spread of rumours and inflammatory content on social media. The organisation questioned whether Starlink’s technology would allow authorities to restrict services in specific areas when required.

“Currently, India is grappling with various law-and-order challenges. In such situations, internet-based social media often fuels rumours and anti-national narratives. Disrupting internet services frequently becomes essential to maintain law and order during instances of separatism, terrorism, riots, protests, and similar events,” he said.

The statement comes amid protests in New Delhi by various organisations over alleged irregularities in the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) exercise and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

During recent hearings in petitions related to alleged illegal detentions and restrictions on public movement during protests, the Supreme Court has also recently ordered the government that “internet facilities should function unhindered”, The Hindu reported.

SJM said Indian authorities needed assurances that domestic internet traffic would pass through gateways within the country rather than bypassing them through foreign infrastructure, potentially complicating lawful monitoring.

“Moreover, it’s feared that satellite internet could be used by hostile actors, smugglers or insurgent groups to communicate beyond conventional telecom networks. Unauthorised terminals have been found operating near sensitive borders and conflict zones. Security agencies have even recovered Starlink equipment in several investigations,” said SJM.

The organisation also referred to security-related experiences in Ukraine, Iran, Russia, China and Taiwan to underline the strategic implications of satellite internet services.

SJM cited India’s space programmes, including PSLV and Chandrayaan, as well as initiatives such as Gaganyaan, NISAR and Chandrayaan-4, to highlight the country’s growing technological capabilities. It said indigenous satellite-based internet services could eventually provide affordable connectivity to remote areas.

The organisation also linked the issue to India-US trade relations, arguing that India could restrict foreign companies on security grounds, just as other countries impose trade restrictions on Indian exports.

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