Starlink's India entry comes with firewall: No mirroring, no offshore routing

Starlink, the satellite internet venture backed by Elon Musk, has secured government approval to operate within India, contingent upon stringent security measures that mandate the localization of all Indian user data. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) awarded the company a Unified License (UL) after Starlink accepted these conditions. According to Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications, the imposed security requirements include establishing earth station gateways in India. This ensures that no user data originating from or intended for Indian users will be routed through any gateways outside of the country. Furthermore, the regulations prohibit the copying or decryption of Indian data beyond national borders, as well as preventing the mirroring of Indian user traffic on international servers. These requirements apply to all satellite communication operators and necessitate that Starlink direct its signals through the designated gateways situated within India. Additionally, the government consulted the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) regarding spectrum allocation and pricing before approving Starlink's license. Trai provided its recommendations on May 9. Minister Sekhar emphasized the broader implications of satellite communication, asserting that this emerging sector holds significant potential beyond mere connectivity. As a burgeoning field, it is anticipated to create job opportunities in India, particularly in the areas of installation, operation, and maintenance of telecom infrastructure, including user terminal equipment.