By Zainab Shafiq 
Indian authorities are investigating the use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet by drug smugglers in a major narcotics operation. Police claim the smugglers used Starlink devices to navigate Indian waters, bypassing conventional communication systems.
The incident came to the public eye last week after Indian Coast Guard officials nabbed a Myanmar vessel near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Authorities seized an unbelievable 6,000 kilograms of methamphetamine worth a staggering $4.25 billion, which makes the drug bust the biggest seizure for the Coast Guard in history. Six Myanmar nationals have been arrested so far in connection with the case.
Starlink, which promises global high-speed broadband, is yet to get approval to operate in India or territorial waters. The smugglers used the compact, portable internet devices of Starlink for Wi-Fi hotspots for satellite communication directly from their phones.
Hargobinder S. Dhaliwal, who heads the police in the Andaman islands, said it raises serious concerns that a device like Starlink has been used. “They started using the device from the moment they left Myanmar,” Dhaliwal said, emphasizing the challenge it poses in circumventing the legal oversight.
Indian authorities have already approached Starlink to get more details about the device, such as the purchase history and usage patterns. Such details might throw light on whether the operation was done by organized syndicates operating within the country or internationally.
Starlink has been striving to set up its services in India since 2021 but faced regulatory delays and competition from Reliance Jio, led by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
This is a landmark case that typifies the bittersweet nature of emerging technology such as Starlink-something that promises to unify the world through connectivity yet may be misused in criminal activities. As police delve deeper into the investigations, the incident calls for greater control and regulation in sensitive areas with emerging technology.
The BBC has made contact with Starlink with a request for comment about the incident.
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