Permit to Starlink bars copying, decryption of Indian data overseas: MoS Telecom Pemmasani

Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar told PTI that security conditions mandate satellite communication providers to set up earth station gateways in India through which communications from satellite to users are routed.

New Delhi: The government has approved a permit to Starlink after the company agreed to comply with domestic laws, including security conditions, which bar it from copying and decrypting data overseas and mirroring Indian user traffic on any system set up abroad, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said.

The minister told PTI that security conditions mandate satellite communication providers to set up earth station gateways in India through which communications from satellite to users are routed.

He said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) granted a Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited after the US firm agreed to the stipulated terms and conditions of the UL, including security conditions which is applicable to all satcom players.

"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," the minister said.

He also said the telecom department 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, which were received on May 9.

"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 added.