Italy’s Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, sought to calm political tensions on Wednesday following reports that Italy was in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink to supply secure communications for the military. Crosetto clarified to parliament that no contracts or agreements had been signed with SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, and that the defence ministry had not approved any such deal.
Musk had earlier indicated his willingness to assist Italy, mentioning that Starlink’s satellite-based system could provide secure communications for Italian diplomats and defence officials operating in sensitive Mediterranean regions. A reported €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) deal over five years has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, raising concerns about entrusting such an important service to a private company owned by Musk.
Crosetto emphasized that Italy was still evaluating various technical solutions for encrypted communications and suggested that the country could develop its own equipment if necessary. He also referred to Musk’s comments about other European countries potentially using the system once it was in place in Italy.
Opposition lawmaker Nicola Fratoianni expressed concern over Crosetto’s stance, arguing that national security should not be entrusted to a private monopolist. The possibility of Starlink offering a quicker solution compared to the EU’s IRIS2 satellite constellation has added urgency to the debate.
Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, former Italian ambassador and head of a foreign policy think tank, advised that the matter should be approached with transparency and an open public tender process. He noted that if multiple bidders were involved, and Musk’s proposal emerged as the best option in terms of cost, benefits, and quality, it could be considered.
