Elon Musk Rejects Starlink Use by Indian Insurgents, Says Satellite Beams Are Off Over India
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has rejected claims that Starlink satellite internet was being used by insurgent groups in India, saying the service's satellite beams are currently turned off over the country.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has rejected claims that Starlink satellite internet was being used by insurgent groups in India, saying the service's satellite beams are currently turned off over the country. Musk made the clarification on X on October 7 after a post claimed that security forces had recovered Starlink terminals from insurgents near the Myanmar border in Manipur.
Musk said that because Starlink beams are switched off over India, the claim that the service was being used by anyone in the country was "absolutely false". His statement comes as Starlink continues to await final regulatory clearances before launching commercial satellite broadband services in India. Starlink India Launch: Elon Musk Claims ‘Oligarchs’ Are Blocking Satellite Internet Entry.
Elon Musk Rejects Claims of Satellite Internet Use by Insurgents
Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false https://t.co/y3R2L5JV7h
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 7, 2026
Elon Musk Responds to Starlink-Manipur Claim
The controversy followed a social media post claiming that Indian security forces had recovered Starlink equipment from insurgent groups operating near the Myanmar border in Manipur. DogeDesigner, an X account that frequently posts about Elon Musk and his companies, questioned the claim and pointed out that Starlink's satellite beams are turned off over India. Musk subsequently responded to the post, directly rejecting the suggestion that Starlink was being used by militants inside India.
The claim appears to relate to earlier reports about Starlink terminals being recovered in Manipur. In December 2024, security forces had reported recovering Starlink equipment during operations in the violence-affected state, alongside weapons and other material. Separate reporting in 2025 also alleged that smuggled Starlink terminals had been used in parts of Manipur during periods of internet shutdowns. Those earlier reports had raised questions over whether devices operating through networks across the Myanmar border could access Starlink connectivity inside India. Starlink Sets Up 20 India Gateway Sites, to Keep User Data Within Country: VP Lauren Dreyer.
Starlink Is Yet To Begin Commercial Services in India
Musk's latest statement comes at a time when Starlink is preparing for a commercial launch in India but has not yet begun offering regular consumer services. Starlink has obtained the necessary licence to provide satellite communication services, but commercial operations still depend on spectrum allocation and completion of security and other regulatory clearances. Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications are among the companies seeking to provide satellite-based connectivity in India.
The Indian government has also allowed the companies to conduct testing under provisional spectrum arrangements, but such approval does not amount to permission for a full commercial rollout. Security, technical and other regulatory requirements remain part of the process.
Starlink Says India Infrastructure Is Ready
The latest controversy comes just a day after Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, said at India Mobile Congress 2026 that the company had already built substantial infrastructure in India. Dreyer said Starlink has established 20 gateway sites comprising hundreds of antennas and has developed India-specific security controls. She also said the company intends to keep Indian user data within the country and has been working with Indian regulators and industry stakeholders for several years.
Starlink has positioned its service as a potential solution for India's remote and underserved areas, particularly locations where conventional fibre or mobile infrastructure is difficult to deploy.
Starlink's India Launch Still Awaits Clearances
The issue of security has been central to India's regulatory scrutiny of satellite internet providers. While the regulatory framework has moved forward, companies still require the necessary approvals before commercial services can begin. Musk has separately criticised delays to Starlink's India entry, alleging that "certain oligarchs" are blocking the company's launch to protect existing interests. The company, meanwhile, has maintained that it is ready to begin operations once the required approvals are secured.
For now, Musk's latest statement specifically disputes the claim that Starlink's active satellite service was being used by insurgent groups in India, citing the company's position that its satellite beams are turned off over the country. The status of any previously recovered Starlink hardware and whether individual terminals had been able to obtain connectivity through other means remains a separate issue from the current commercial availability of Starlink in India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 08, 2026 08:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
