India has reportedly halted approvals for Elon Musk’s space-based internet provider Starlink to commence its commercial operations amid concerns over the usage of its satellite terminals in the West Asia war, according to media reports.
The security agencies under the Home Ministry have withheld the final clearances, which Starlink requires to launch. It is believed that Starlink terminals were in use during the West Asia crisis despite the service not having a licence in Iran, the report added.
With this, New Delhi is more concerned about its ability to manage a US-based operator during geopolitical tensions.
The setback comes only days before SpaceX is due to price what may be the largest initial public offering in history — a June 12 Nasdaq listing aiming a USD 1.75 trillion valuation. Starlink contributes to that valuation as the company’s main source of income, and the delay draws attention to a risk that investors could have missed: its global growth is not consistent.
Meanwhile, Lauren Dreyer, vice-president, Starlink Business Operations, on her official X handle, wrote Starlink remains in active and productive discussions with the Government of India contrary to misleading stories based upon unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources.
“We have worked with the Government through all of the required regulatory and compliance processes in a transparent and responsible manner. To align with India’s sovereign technology, regulatory and security requirements, Starlink has setup a bespoke deployment model for India that further demonstrates our commitment to working within India’s strategic framework,” shows X post.
“We have heard nothing but encouraging feedback on Starlink’s capabilities and its potential to advance India’s connectivity ambitions, especially in remote and underserved regions. We remain fully committed to India and to working with the Government to bring Starlink’s services very soon to the country,” it further highlights.
