Agencies probe seizure of Starlink devices in Manipur

The Starlink satellite antenna and router were abandoned by armed miscreants when the security forces conducted raids at Keirao Khunou area of Imphal East

In a first, Starlink devices were seized in Manipur’s Imphal East on December 13 during a search operation by a joint team of security forces including the police and the Army. 

The Starlink satellite antenna and router were abandoned by armed miscreants when the security forces conducted raids at Keirao Khunou area of Imphal East, a police official said. An MA4 Assault rifle, used by the Myanmar Army, a pistol and other ammunition were also seized during the said operation. 

The device had “RPF/PLA” scribbled on it. The abbreviation stands for Peoples’ Liberation Army and its political wing, the Revolutionary Peoples’ Front (RPF), a Meitei extremist group that has been banned by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and operates from Myanmar. The group advocates secession of Manipur from India. The recovery has sent alarm bells among the security agencies as the equipment which provides satellite-based high-speed Internet circumventing the Indian network has for the first time been found in the State affected by ethnic violence since May 2023.

Earlier, on November 23, the Andaman and Nicobar police and the Indian Coast Guards apprehended six alleged smugglers from Myanmar who used a Starlink device to navigate the sea while transporting 6,000 kg of methamphetamine, worth ₹36,000 crore, in a fishing trawler. 

A defence source said that the device has been handed over to the police. A government source said it could not be said conclusively if the device was used for communication, and investigations were underway. Another official said that a probe was on to find out whether the equipment was smuggled in from Myanmar or was on its way to the country. 

Starlink terminals rely on a constellation of over 7,000 constantly orbiting satellites in low earth orbit. As such, the service is theoretically available practically anywhere on earth, provided there is a clear view of the sky. However, Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, which owns and operates Starlink, is known to have placed limits on where its users can use the service.

For instance, users on cruises have reported receiving a notice from the company for using Starlink in international waters, as maritime service has a higher price. Starlink terminals reportedly stopped working when Ukraine troops tried to use the service in Crimea, which is occupied and controlled by Russia. 

It is therefore unclear how the service, as officials have said, was able to be used on Indian territory, when it is not licensed for use here. Starlink has been vigorously courting the Union government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to permit the service, and has opened ground stations where the government can conduct lawful interception of user data, as required by the Department of Telecommunications’ licensing framework.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said in a post on X after the pictures of the seized equipment went viral that “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.” SpaceX beams were “never on” for India, Mr. Musk said in a subsequent post.

In August, The Hindu reported that Starlink terminals were listed on the business-to-business listing platform IndiaMART. After that report, SpaceX issued a statement that warned people against pursuing such illegal listings, and did not rule out that the terminals on offer may have been genuine. The company also issued a legal notice to IndiaMART, demanding that it take all such listings down.

Published - December 17, 2024 10:08 pm IST