Starlink-Like Antenna, Router Seized From Insurgent Groups In Manipur
The recovery of the Starlink-like device has prompted relevant agencies to investigate how the equipment made its way to Manipur.
Security forces have allegedly recovered a Starlink dish and router from an insurgent group, along with sniper rifles, pistols, grenades and other weapons from the Imphal East district, in Manipur. This has raised concerns about insurgents using the Internet to gain information even during an Internet blackout.
As per a PTI report, recovery of the Starlink-like device has prompted relevant agencies to investigate how the equipment made its way to the state. It is learnt that the recovery was made during a search operation in Imphal East on December 13. Since Starlink does not have a license to operate in India, there hasn’t been confirmation whether it is a genuine Starlink device.
Starlink is owned by billionaire Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX. It is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation providing broadband internet via low Earth orbit. However, the services are only offered in countries that have given the license to operate.
Responding to a tweet about the dish and router being Starlink devices, Musk wrote that it was a “false” and that “Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.”
This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024
The Dimapur-headquartered Spear Corps put photos on X of the items recovered in the search operation, including the Starlink logo's internet device. It featured inscriptions of the RPF/PLA. The search operation was carried out jointly by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the Manipur Police in Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi.
The Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) is the political arm of the Meitei insurgent group People's Liberation Army (PLA), which is one of the eight Meitei secessionist groups listed as banned organisations by the Union Home Ministry.
The Spear Corps further said 29 weapons comprising snipers, automatic weapons, rifles, pistols, country-made mortars, single barrel rifles, grenades, ammunition and war-like stores were recovered in the operation.
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
Meanwhile, the Manipur police called the device "internet satellite antenna and internet satellite router" in an X post. It said, “one MA4 assault rifle, one 12-bore gun, one 9 mm pistol, one .32 pistol, five hand grenades, five arming rings, two detonators, 30 5.56 mm ammunition, one internet satellite antenna and one internet satellite router were among those recovered from Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district.”
Search operations and area domination were conducted by security forces in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts. During the search operations, the following items were recovered:
— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) December 13, 2024
i. 01 (one) no. of MA4 Assault Rifle, 01 (one) no. of 12 Bore Single Barrel… pic.twitter.com/Ls4lwx9Opu
According to NDTV, The Myanmar Internet Project – a collective of research that has tracked Myanmar's digital developments since 2022 estimates that there are around 3,000 Starlink connections in the country. These connections are used by both ethnic insurgents fighting the junta and civilians in remote areas.
The Meitei insurgent group, PLA, has been operating in Myanmar near the Indian border.
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