 "Did Meitei insurgent group in Manipur use Elon Musk's Starlink?")
A joint team of security forces on December 13 carried out search operations in Manipur’s Imphal.
Along with numerous weapons, they recovered a Starlink dish and router.
The surprising seizure has raised concerns over the internet use by insurgents to coordinate attacks during times of internet blackouts.
Here’s all we know about it.
What happened?
The Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police carried out a joint operation in the hill and valley regions of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East, and Kangokpi.
They recovered the Starlink dish and router from Meitei insurgents in Imphal East district’s Khunou, which they called it “internet satellite antenna and internet satellite router.”
The Indian Army’s Spear Corps, in a post on X, shared visuals that showed a white, rectangular dish and a router with the Starlink logo on it. In the image, the router displays the acronym “RPF/PLA.”
“Acting on specific intelligence, troops of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles formations under Spear Corps carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kangpokpi in Manipur, in close coordination with Manipur Police and other security forces and recovered 29 weapons comprising of snipers, automatic weapons rifles, pistols, country made mortars, single barrel rifles, grenades, ammunition and war like stores,” the Spear Corps said in a post on X.
Acting on specific intelligence, troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles formations under #SpearCorps carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in #Manipur, in close coordination with… pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE
— SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) December 16, 2024
The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), the political arm of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is one of the eight Meitei secessionist groups banned by the Union Home Ministry.
Notably, Indian security officials have found a Starlink device for the second time in less than a month.
In addition to a Starlink micro internet device, Andaman and Nicobar police in late November found around 6,000 kilos of meth in a Myanmarese fishing boat, valued at Rs 36,000 crore.
Did Meiteis use Starlink?
Starlink is the first and biggest satellite constellation in the world, and it is owned by SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by billionaire Elon Musk. It provides broadband internet anywhere in the world, and the service has a licence to operate using a low Earth orbit.
In addition to its current circular dish, Starlink introduced a 12-by-19-inch rectangular dish in November 2021.
According to the images provided by the security forces, the device’s dimensions and logo appear to be the same.
However, Starlink has not yet received a satellite broadband license in India, and it is intended to be geotagged to stop any device from functioning there.
The American company has submitted the paperwork for regulatory approval.
Elon Musk said Starlink doesn’t operate in India. “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” he wrote on X.
This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024
Security officials are investigating the matter, according to sources, to find out how the device reached Manipur.
The gadget is thought to have been smuggled into India from Myanmar, where multiple groups use it.
Notably, Starlink is also not authorised to operate in Myanmar.
However, according to the Myanmar Internet Project, which monitors changes in the country’s digital domain, there are an estimated 3,000 Starlink connections in the country. The devices are used by both the general public in isolated locations and ethnic insurgents battling the government.
In Myanmar, the Meitei insurgent PLA has been active in regions close to the Indian border.
Why is this alarming?
Officials say the seizure is concerning because it gives criminal networks and extremist groups the ability to get beyond regular internet bans.
Starlink terminals rely on a constellation of more than 7,000 continually orbiting satellites in low earth orbit, instead of the telecom towers used by typical mobile phone service providers to offer voice and internet services.
As a result, if there is a clear view of the sky, the service should be accessible almost any place on Earth.
But Starlink’s operator, SpaceX, also owned by Musk, is known to have restricted where users can access the service.
Users on cruises, for example, have complained that the company has sent them a notice for using Starlink in international waters since marine service is more expensive.
When the Ukrainian military attempted to use the service in Russia-occupied and controlled Crimea, Starlink terminals apparently stopped working.
What do we know about Starlink’s entry into the Indian market?
Starlink is now seeking the necessary security clearances for a license to provide satellite broadband services in India , and if it meets the requirements set forth by the government, it should be granted a permit.
Meanwhile, the government has said clearly that satellite spectrum will be distributed administratively rather than through an auction.
With inputs from agencies
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