BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar told Elon Musk and Rahul Gandhi on Friday that India’s security rules cannot be wished away. While calling Starlink awesome technology, he said national security remains a priority. He added, "Patience is unavoidable and in this case is a necessity," before satellite internet services can start.
As Elon Musk and Rahul Gandhi joined hands in questioning the delay in Starlink's India launch, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar has a pointed message for both: India's security rules cannot be wished away.
Pushing back against the growing attack on the government's approval process, the BJP Keralam president on Friday told Musk that technological ambition must not come at the cost of national security and also took a swipe at the Congress leader.
Calling Starlink "awesome technology", Chandrasekhar said India's security clearances were necessary and that patience was "a necessity" before the satellite internet service could begin operations in the country.
In a post on X addressed to Musk, Chandrasekhar said India's approach to satellite communications was guided by national security and the need to ensure that technology platforms were safe, trusted and accountable.
"I have used Starlink and I think it's awesome technology - and represents a new era in mobility innovation. No doubt," he said, while stressing that countries must prioritise their own interests.
"That's what India is doing. Patience is unavoidable and in this case is a necessity," he added.
Drawing on his experience as an entrepreneur in India's wireless sector and later as a policymaker, Chandrasekhar said the country's technology framework under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was built on three principles: openness, safety and trust, and accountability, which were aimed at ensuring fair competition, secure networks and platforms, and legal accountability for all participants.
Contrasting this approach with the past, the BJP leader took a swipe at the Congress, alleging that India's telecom sector had been marked by decades of opacity and corruption. He said the country had since moved beyond its "old crony-driven" past.
Chandrasekhar clarified that he was no longer in government and did not speak on its behalf. However, he said all three satellite communication licensees were broadly at the same stage of security clearance.
The BJP leader also stressed that security verification must come before spectrum allocation, citing the risks associated with satellite internet services, voice-over-IP and encryption.
"From the 26/11 terror attacks to the recent attack in Pahalgam, satellite communications have been a preferred mode of communication for terrorists. Satellite-based VoIP services and encryption pose additional security challenges. These are not insurmountable, but new capabilities and capacities must be developed to ensure safety and trust," Chandrasekhar said in the post.
MUSK, RAHUL GANDHI ON STARLINK DELAY
The BJP leader's remarks came amid a public exchange between Musk and Rahul Gandhi over Starlink's delayed entry into India.
The billionaire had alleged that powerful business interests were blocking the satellite internet company to protect their market dominance and questioned whether industrialist Mukesh Ambani was the "real boss of India".
Gandhi responded to Musk's post, saying, "Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy."
Though he did not name anyone, the remark appeared to refer to industrialist Gautam Adani, whom the Congress has repeatedly accused of enjoying close ties with the BJP-led government.
Musk later replied to Gandhi, saying, "Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling."
Meanwhile, the government has rejected Musk's allegations of preferential treatment for powerful business interests, maintaining that the approval process for satellite internet services is fair and non-discriminatory.