India Scrutinizes Starlink's Pakistan and Bangladesh Links: Report

Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk's SpaceX, is coming under fresh scrutiny from the Indian government, which has asked for detailed disclosures about the company's proposed operations in neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh, a report by Business Standard quoting sources familiar with the matter said.

This heightened regulatory attention follows a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan after a recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. In retaliation for the attack, India imposed a number of punitive actions against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the shutdown of the Attari land border. Pakistan responded by shutting its airspace to Indian carriers and suspending bilateral trade.

Due to these tensions, the Indian government has increasingly raised concerns about Starlink's local operations. A (DoT) senior official said to Business Standard, "There are still certain security concerns. For a company to offer communication services in India, several technical complications have to be surmounted."

One major issue is Starlink's temporary registration in Pakistan, which was given by the nation's space regulator last month. The government of Pakistan has officially indicated that it hopes Starlink will roll out operations there sometime in 2025. Bangladeshi officials, on the other hand, have just granted the licenses required for Starlink, allowing the company to roll out services there earlier.