Elon Musk's Starlink to demo lawful interception of satellite broadband to Indian authorities this week

Elon Musk's Starlink to demo lawful interception of satellite broadband to Indian authorities this week

Elon Musk’s Starlink will demonstrate its satellite broadband services security to law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Mumbai on October 30 and 31, marking a key step before the commercial rollout of its satellite communication (satcom) services in India, according to sources.

The demonstration will allow LEAs to assess Starlink’s lawful interception and security compliance mechanisms — a prerequisite for commercial launch once the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allocates spectrum.

In Mumbai, Starlink’s parent company SpaceX has already set up three ground stations, which will serve as the company’s India hub. Officials will begin on-site inspections this week, according to sources.

Starlink has sought approval to establish three gateway stations — in Mumbai, Chennai, and Noida — and plans to expand this to 9–10 gateways after commercial rollout. The next set of proposed gateways will be located in Chandigarh, Kolkata, and Lucknow, sources added.

The DoT recently assigned provisional spectrum to Starlink for security and technical demonstrations. In July, the company received authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for its Gen-1 satellite constellation over India, shortly after securing a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) licence. The 20-year GMPCS licence enables Starlink to offer satellite-based voice and data services across licensed service areas in India.

Starlink is the third company, after Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite unit, Jio Satellite, to receive temporary spectrum to demonstrate compliance with India’s security and interception requirements.

According to sources, Starlink has applied for 600 Gbps capacity over India using its Gen-1 constellation and has been allowed to import 100 user terminals for fixed satellite service testing.

Queries sent to SpaceX didn't elicit any response.

Earlier this year, in May, the DoT introduced stringent new security guidelines for satellite-based internet providers, requiring explicit security clearances for each gateway hub. The framework mandates robust monitoring and lawful interception capabilities across gateways, Points of Presence (PoPs), and Network Control and Monitoring Centres (NCMCs) before commercial services can begin.

The guidelines also require that all core network infrastructure, including monitoring systems and user data routing, be housed entirely within India. Operators must demonstrate the capability to restrict or suspend services for specific users or regions during emergencies or on orders from security agencies.

Additional compliance requirements include geo-fencing technology to prevent signal spillover into neighboring countries — particularly near sensitive border areas — and strict data sovereignty norms. All user traffic must pass through Indian gateways, and any direct terminal-to-terminal satellite communication bypassing Indian infrastructure is prohibited.

As part of these updated guidelines, the government has mandated that satellite internet providers must achieve at least 20% indigenisation of their ground infrastructure within five years of launching commercial operations. This requirement is intended to reduce dependence on foreign technology and promote domestic manufacturing in the satellite communications sector.