DoT gives green signal to Starlink with strict security rules, will internet become cheaper now?

The government has approved Elon Musk’s company Starlink to start satellite communication services in India. Minister of State for Telecom Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar told news agency PTI that Starlink has agreed to comply with Indian rules and strict security conditions, including a ban on routing or mirroring Indian users’ traffic abroad.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited. The approval was given when the US company accepted all the conditions, especially those related to security, which apply equally to all satcom companies.

The minister said, “The security conditions include that earth station gateways for satellite-based communication services in India will be established in India itself. No user traffic originating from or destined for India will be routed through gateways located abroad. Copying or decryption of Indian data will not take place outside the country, and Indian user traffic will not be mirrored on any system or server abroad.”

TRAI recommendations

Shekhar said the DoT had sought recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on spectrum allocation and pricing for satellite-based communication services, which were received on May 9.

Employment opportunities

Emphasising on the prospects of the sector, the minister said satellite-based communication services is an emerging sector in India. It will create large scale employment opportunities through establishment, operation and maintenance of telecom networks, user terminal equipment.