SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk has rejected claims that Starlink satellite internet services were used by insurgent groups in Manipur, asserting that the company’s satellite beams remain switched off over India.
“Starlink beams are turned off over India, so the claim that they were used by anyone for any reason is absolutely false,” Musk said in a post on X on Thursday, October 8.
His statement follows the recovery of Starlink-branded satellite communication equipment during a security operation against insurgents in Manipur in 2024. Security forces seized a satellite dish and router bearing the company’s name, prompting questions about the possible use of satellite internet to circumvent government-imposed internet shutdowns during periods of unrest.
Manipur Police had said in 2024 that the equipment was likely smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar, where Starlink services were operational.
A report by a British newspaper also cited claims by members of the People’s Liberation Army of Manipur (PLA) that they had used Starlink devices to access the internet during shutdowns imposed by the government. The report quoted sources who said the equipment had worked in some areas near the Myanmar border.
Musk had rejected similar claims in December 2024 following the seizure of Starlink-branded equipment in the state.
The issue has resurfaced as the company awaits regulatory clearances to launch commercial services in India. Although the Department of Telecommunications granted Starlink a satellite communication licence in 2025, the company has yet to commence commercial operations in the country.
The delay has also become the subject of a dispute, with Musk recently alleging that “certain oligarchs” were obstructing Starlink’s entry to protect their position in India’s telecommunications market. The government has dismissed the allegations as baseless.
The recovery of the equipment in Manipur had raised concerns about the possible use of satellite communication technology in sensitive border areas. Musk’s latest statement reiterates the company’s position that its satellite beams are not active over India.
