Elon Musk Announces Starlink Inactive in India After Device Seizures

Elon Musk confirmed on Tuesday that Starlink satellite internet is inactive in India, marking the company’s first public acknowledgment since Indian authorities seized two Starlink devices in recent weeks. One device was found in Manipur, an area in northeastern India suffering from ongoing communal conflict, and the other was discovered during a drug smuggling bust at sea.

Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Musk’s SpaceX, is seeking approval from Indian authorities to offer satellite broadband services in the country. The company is working to address security concerns as part of the approval process. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk clarified that “Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India” and that the service had “never been on in the first place.”

Musk’s comments came after the Indian Army shared photos on December 13 of a search operation in Manipur, which included images of a Starlink device along with seized weapons. According to two military officers who requested anonymity, the device was being used by a militant group. The officers suggested that the device had likely been smuggled into India through its porous border with Myanmar, where Starlink devices have been reportedly used by rebel groups, although the company does not operate in Myanmar.

Earlier in December, Indian police made a legal request to Starlink for details on the purchase of a Starlink device found during a large drug bust at sea. Authorities believe the smugglers used the device to help with navigation while transporting $4.2 billion worth of methamphetamine, one of India’s largest-ever drug seizures.