'Starlink will affect India's security and lead to monopolization'

NEW DELHI: CPM Polit Bureau Coordinator Prakash Karat has said that Starlink, the satellite internet provider of Elon Musk's SpaceX, is a threat to national security. Satellite links should be provided only to Indian security agencies and Starlink's arrival in India will lead to monopoly, Prakash Karat said.

'It is reported that Jio and Airtel have entered into an agreement with Starlink. Starlink's arrival in India will lead to a monopoly. If a monopoly develops, issues including rates will be on the shoulders of consumers. Another important point is that it will affect national security interests. They can access all the mapping and resources of our country using Starlink's satellite link. Normally, such satellite links are only allowed to be given to Indian security agencies. We have seen how Starlink worked in Ukraine," said Prakash Karat.

Elon Musk's SpaceX and leading telecom service provider Bharti Airtel are joining hands to launch Starlink's satellite internet services in India. This is Starlink's first official partnership in India. Days after the news of Starlink's partnership with Airtel came out, Jio is also set to follow the same path. Reliance-owned Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) is collaborating with Elon Musk's SpaceX to provide Starlink's high-speed internet services to customers in India, the company announced in an official press release.