Elon Musk's Starlink is yet to get security clearance to launch satellite internet in India. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on October 9 that all three operators must meet strict security rules first. These include data localisation and real-time tracking to ensure that all user traffic stays within the country.

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SpaceX chief Elon Musk's Starlink is yet to complete the security compliance process required to launch satellite internet services in India, despite securing initial licences. Government rules require that all satcom internet operators must meet stringent security conditions before commencing commercial operations. This is why the Modi government has strongly rejected allegations of bias by Elon Musk and claims that powerful business interests were blocking Starlink's entry into India as totally "baseless and misconceived." All three companies in the fray for satcom applications - Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES - are currently waiting for security clearance, which is a prerequisite for the commercial rollout of high-speed internet services through satellites

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on October 9 said that all three satellite communication operators had received licences but must also fulfil security requirements before beginning operations. The Ministry of Home Affairs will determine whether the companies have met the prescribed conditions.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued 20 additional security requirements in May 2025, covering data localisation, lawful interception, real-time location tracking and restrictions on satellite connectivity in sensitive border areas.

Indian gateways and data localisation

Among the most significant requirements is the mandatory routing of all Indian user traffic through gateways located within the country.

Satellite operators cannot route traffic through foreign gateways, including by using inter-satellite links to bypass Indian infrastructure. Mirroring or copying Indian traffic to overseas servers is also prohibited.

Network control and monitoring centres, traffic-routing functions and user-terminal monitoring facilities must be located within India.

Data centres and Points of Presence must also be established domestically, while Domain Name System (DNS) resolution must take place within the country.

The three operators will also need to separately obtain security clearance for their gateway and hub locations.

Real-time tracking and border restrictions

The government has also mandated stringent location-monitoring requirements for satellite terminals.

In the rules published last year in May, it said that operators must be capable of providing real-time location information of user terminals to authorised security agencies whenever required.

For land-based mobile satellite terminals, location information must be reported every 2.6 kilometres of movement or every minute, whichever occurs first.

They must also implement geofencing mechanisms to restrict or deny connectivity in prohibited areas.

In border regions and other sensitive locations, services can only be selectively provided to authorised or whitelisted terminals.

During hostilities, the guidelines require that operators must be capable of suspending services as per directions of security agencies.

Lawful interception before launch

Another major requirement is the establishment of lawful interception and monitoring facilities before commercial operations commence.

Providers must facilitate metadata collection by DoT's Telecom Security Operations Centre and maintain prescribed call-detail and internet-protocol-detail records.

Websites blocked in India need to remain inaccessible through satellite broadband networks.

The guidelines also mandate separate security clearances for voice and data services, as well as fixed or limited-mobility and mobility-based offerings.

Domestic manufacturing and network approvals

The security guidelines also mandate domestic manufacturing requirements for satellite communication operators.

Companies must submit a phased manufacturing programme targeting at least 20 percent indigenisation of their established ground segment within five years of commercial launch.

Operators will also have to incorporate India's NavIC navigation system into user terminals.

What other steps remain before launch?

Apart from security clearance, operators are awaiting finalisation of the satellite spectrum pricing framework.

Scindia has indicated that DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India are close to finalising the pricing mechanism.