The Centre on Thursday described as “baseless and misconceived” SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk's remarks that Starlink was being “blocked by certain oligarchs” in India.
In a statement, the Ministry of Communications said the government has “put in place a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecommunication services, including satellite communication services”.
“As such, the suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived,” it said.
The development came a day after Musk alleged that Starlink was being “blocked by certain oligarchs” in India to protect their “monopolistic chokehold” over the country. He made the remarks as the satellite internet company continued to wait for final clearances to begin commercial services in the country.
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“A post is being circulated in social media regarding the fairness of India’s regulatory framework for satellite communication services and suggesting that it is being applied in a discriminatory manner,” the ministry said.
Explaining the “non-discriminatory” framework that is in place, it said: “Telecom licences have been granted to three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite services based on non-geosynchronous satellite orbit based satellite communications, as part of its commitment to enable provision of satellite communication services in India. Under the terms and conditions of license, every such licensee is required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions. This is aimed at ensuring that services provided meet various security requirements to ensure safety of all users and their data."
{{/usCountry}}Explaining the “non-discriminatory” framework that is in place, it said: “Telecom licences have been granted to three Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite services based on non-geosynchronous satellite orbit based satellite communications, as part of its commitment to enable provision of satellite communication services in India. Under the terms and conditions of license, every such licensee is required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions. This is aimed at ensuring that services provided meet various security requirements to ensure safety of all users and their data."
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Starlink built India setup to meet security norms, says SpaceX executive; awaits nod
It added: “Security assessment as part of this process is currently under way in respect of all the three licensees. As and when this process is completed for a licensed entity, it may proceed to the next step of seeking assignment of spectrum. At present, all the three entities are at broadly the same regulatory stage.”
On Wednesday, Musk was responding to a post arguing that India needs Starlink to bridge connectivity gaps in underserved areas, when he said: “Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are … This is a crime against the people of India!”
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Starlink, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, provides broadband internet using a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites, allowing connectivity in areas where mobile networks can be difficult to reach. Starlink has received a government licence to provide satellite communication services in India, along with Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. However, the companies still require spectrum allocation and security clearances before commercial services can begin. Starlink is also awaiting other regulatory approvals, including foreign investment-related clearances.