Centre sets tough conditions for India entry by Starlink

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked Elon Musk’s satellite venture Starlink to set up a control centre in India to enable suspension or shutdown of communications services in sensitive and troubled areas, whenever required, to maintain law and order.
Also, the security establishment has specified mandates to allow call interceptions by law-enforcement agencies through official channels when the need arises, top sources told TOI. The move comes as Starlink’s application for a satellite communications licence enters the final phase with the company stitching up agreements with Reliance Jio and Airtel for marketing, deployment and network enhancement.

A control centre is important as sudden changes in law-and-order situations in any part of the country may require immediate suspension and shutdown of communications services, including those offered through satellites. We cannot be expected to knock on their (Starlink’s) doors or approach their headquarters in the US whenever such an exigency arises,” a source told TOI, adding the company has assured govt it is looking into the matter.
The telecom law has provisions that allow the central or a state govt to even take “temporary possession” of any telecom service or network from an authorised entity in case of a public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety. Besides there are provisions for internet shutdown.
On the issue of interception, the sources clarified that “it is nothing new” and is also a mandate for the existing terrestrial networks being run by companies such as Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
“For this, the satcom companies have been asked not to transfer calls directly through the satellite network and instead route them back to their India gateway and then use the channel taken by any conventional communication service — such as a call emanating from a landline or a terrestrial mobile phone service,” the source said.
If one will use a satellite phone service to call someone in France, then the call will travel from the user and move to the satellite but it will not travel directly to France through the satellite route but return to the company’s India gateway ‘point of presence’ (PoP) before taking conventional telecom channels, such as underseas cable. Starlink representatives have been in touch with govt officials to address security concerns.