News Desk: A parliamentary standing committee will examine satellite internet services in India amid an escalating dispute over Elon Musk’s Starlink and the regulatory requirements for its commercial launch. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, announced the decision on Wednesday.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Dubey said the panel would discuss satellite internet services at an upcoming meeting. The move comes amid growing debate over national security, regulatory compliance and competition in India’s satellite communications market.
The controversy intensified after Musk accused Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani of benefiting from a monopoly that could restrict Starlink’s entry into the Indian market. Dubey responded earlier this week, stating that India would not change its security policy under pressure.
Starlink, Reliance Jio’s satellite venture Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb have applied for permission to offer satellite internet services in India. Their entry could expand internet access, particularly in remote and underserved regions. However, operators must meet the government’s security and regulatory requirements before launching commercial services.
The dispute has also highlighted the challenge of balancing competition with national security concerns as satellite-based connectivity gains importance worldwide.
Court directs Mahua Moitra to delete social media posts
In a separate development, Dubey shared a court order directing Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to remove two posts published on her X account on October 3 and October 6.
According to the order, the posts referred to Dubey as a “vote chor” and accused him of being responsible for the disenfranchisement of voters. The court directed Moitra to delete the posts within 24 hours of receiving the order.
The interim order also restrained her from publishing or sharing the allegedly defamatory statements against Dubey. However, the court clarified that its directions would not prevent fair criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise or official decisions.
The court further stated that its observations were based on a preliminary assessment of the dispute and did not represent a final decision on the merits of the case.
Moitra has been permitted to file a written objection. The order also allows Dubey to approach the grievance officer of X under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, if the posts are not removed as directed.
The parliamentary panel’s proposed examination of satellite internet services is expected to bring regulatory safeguards and security concerns into focus as India considers the future of satellite-based connectivity.
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