The Indian government and Elon Musk engaged in a verbal spat on Thursday after the Telecom Department rejected allegations that Starlink’s satellite internet services were being blocked by domestic business interests, leading the tech trillionaire to launch another attack.
The government, earlier in the day, slammed the US business tycoon over his allegations that Starlink’s satcom services are being blocked.
Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX’s vice president for Starlink business operations, said on Wednesday that the company had invested in infrastructure specifically designed to meet Indian regulatory and security requirements. Under the government’s framework, a licensed satellite operator can move to the spectrum-assignment stage once it completes the required security process.
“Security assessment as part of this process is currently under way in respect of all three licensees,” the telecom ministry said in a statement. Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said the issue was with the Ministry of Home Affairs and was not specific to any one company. “We are waiting for our own approvals,” Mittal said at the India Mobile Congress when asked about Musk’s allegations. Starlink has said it is ready to begin operations in India. The telecom ministry said all three licensees were currently “broadly at the same regulatory stage.
The government, earlier in the day, slammed the US business tycoon over his allegations that Starlink’s satcom services are being blocked, and made it clear that demonstrating compliance with security norms is an absolute must for every satcom licensee in the country.
