Elon Musk's Starlink Is In Trouble With Indian Authorities Before It Could Launch? Here's What We Know

The investigation is unfolding as Starlink moves closer to launching in India after months of lobbying for satellite spectrum.

Indian authorities plan to seek details from Elon Musk-owned Starlink about who bought the device used in the smuggling operation.

Source : X/Elon Musk

Elon Musk might be in trouble with the Indian authorities. Indian authorities will soon seek information from Elon Musk's Starlink as part of their investigation into drug smugglers who allegedly used its satellite internet service to navigate the high seas and smuggle $4.25 billion worth of methamphetamine into Indian waters. In what is being called the largest such seizure, police in the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands discovered over 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) of meth last week on a Myanmar boat carrying bags of suspected drugs.

Starlink Comes Under Fire

Six Myanmar nationals were detained in relation to the operation. This event has sparked concerns, as it represents the first instance of Starlink’s technology being used to access Indian waters, according to Hargobinder S. Dhaliwal, a senior police official overseeing the case. Although Starlink offers coverage in international waters and plans to expand its services in India, its presence in territorial waters is subject to government authorization. Dhaliwal said, "This (case) is different because it is bypassing all the legal channels. They directly operated (phones) with satellite, creating a Wi-Fi hotspot."

He said, "They (smugglers) were using Starlink since their journey started from Myanmar," while adding that he plans to seek details from Starlink including who bought the device and its usage history. 

The Andaman and Nicobar police estimated the value of the seized meth at 360 billion rupees ($4.25 billion). The investigation is unfolding as Starlink moves closer to launching in India after months of lobbying for satellite spectrum, a process that saw opposition from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, who pushed for spectrum auctions. Dhaliwal revealed that the smugglers used the Starlink Mini device, described on the company’s website as "a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack."

Authorities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are now investigating whether any local or international syndicates are linked to the smuggling network, as they explore multiple angles in the case.