Starlink to store all Indian user data locally: Govt

Elon Musk’s Starlink will store Indian user data within the country, with no traffic routed abroad, Parliament was informed. The company has received key approvals and is preparing to roll out satellite-based internet services while meeting national security requirements

New Delhi: The data, traffic and other details accumulated by Elon Musk’s Starlink will be stored in India, and the domestic user traffic is not to be mirrored to any system/server located abroad, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has granted a Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited after agreeing to the stipulated terms and conditions of the UL, including security conditions. The satellite company is set to begin its affordable internet services soon in the country.

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Minister of State of Communications and Rural Development, Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, told the Rajya Sabha, in a written reply, that the “security conditions, inter-alia, include the establishment of earth station gateway(s) in India for providing satellite-based communication services with no user traffic originating from or destined for India to be routed through any gateway located outside India, no copying and decryption of the Indian data outside the country, and the Indian user traffic is not to be mirrored to any system/server located abroad”.

DoT had sought recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on terms and conditions of spectrum assignment, including spectrum pricing, for providing satellite-based communication services.

“Satellite-based communication services are an upcoming area and, as any new economic activity would do, it is also expected to generate employment in the country, as it involves, inter alia, the installation, operation and maintenance of the telecom network including user terminal equipment,” the minister said.

Starlink was given a Unified License in June, and it received IN-SPACe authorisation last month. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) approved Musk’s Starlink for a period of five years in the country.

Starlink now needs to acquire spectrum from the government and establish ground infrastructure for its services. The DoT is set to grant trial spectrum to the US-based space firm to complete security compliance demonstrations.