Elon Musk's Starlink to store Indian user data domestically, says government

In a significant move for data privacy, Elon Musk's Starlink will now retain all user data from India within the country's borders. This decision was confirmed by the government during a parliamentary session on Thursday, ensuring that no data will be transferred to overseas servers. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has officially granted a Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited, following the company's agreement to comply with stringent security regulations. As Starlink gears up to roll out its cost-effective services in India, the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, elaborated on the security measures in a written statement to the Rajya Sabha. These measures include the mandatory establishment of ground station gateways within India for all satellite communication services. Importantly, any user traffic originating from or destined for India will not be routed through foreign gateways. Furthermore, the regulations dictate that Indian data cannot be copied or decrypted outside the nation, ensuring that user traffic remains entirely domestic. The DoT is also seeking advice from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding the spectrum allocation for satellite communication services, including pricing. The minister noted that satellite communications represent a burgeoning sector, anticipated to create employment opportunities through the setup and maintenance of the necessary telecom infrastructure. Starlink, which received its Unified License in June and a five-year authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) last month, is now tasked with acquiring spectrum from the government and establishing the requisite ground facilities ahead of its service launch. The DoT is expected to provide trial spectrum to facilitate Starlink's compliance with security protocols.