Elon Musk said Starlink satellite beams have been turned off over India; know what happened

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that Starlink satellite beams have been turned off over India. His post came as a response to claims that Starlink devices were being used in the violence in Manipur.

Security forces recently seized some internet devices along with weapons and ammunition during a raid at Kerao Khunou in Imphal East district. The Indian Army’s Spear Corps also shared photos of the items on the X and social media users immediately noticed that one of the devices had a “Starlink logo”.

Why were Starlink beams turned off?

On December 16, the security forces posted on Twitter, “Acting on specific intelligence, Indian Army and Assam Rifles troops under Spear Corps conducted a joint search operation in conjunction with Manipur Police and other security forces in the hilly and valley areas of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi districts of Manipur and recovered 29 weapons including sniper, automatic weapons, rifles, pistols, country-made mortars, single barrel rifles, grenades, ammunition and warlike stores.”

Commenting on the post, a user said, “Starlink is being used by terrorists. Hope Elon Musk will look into this and help prevent misuse of this technology.”

According to Reuters, two army officials familiar with the search who requested anonymity revealed that a device bearing the Starlink logo was being used by a militant group during the search operation. They said the device is likely to have been smuggled through the porous border with neighbouring Myanmar. He further said that the use of Starlink devices by insurgent groups has been documented in media reports, though the company does not even operate in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Musk’s Starlink, which provides satellite internet services, does not have a licence to operate in India. In Manipur, ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May last year has killed over 250 people and left thousands homeless.

Earlier on December 3, Reuters had also reported that the Indian police will seek details from Elon Musk’s Starlink to trace drug smugglers who used its satellite internet device to navigate deep seas and bring $4.25 billion worth of meth into Indian waters for the first time.