New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has selected satellite internet as a primary subject for detailed examination, bringing the delayed regulatory approval of Elon Musk’s Starlink under official scrutiny. The decision was formalized during a committee meeting chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday.
This parliamentary intervention comes on the heels of controversial remarks made by the tech billionaire, who recently questioned the prolonged delays in securing the necessary clearances for Starlink’s operational entry into India. Musk had publicly alleged that certain entities were intentionally attempting to stifle fair competition within the country’s rapidly growing internet service sector.
Addressing these high-profile allegations, Chairman Dubey indicated that the committee will conduct a thorough investigation into the regulatory bottlenecks. The parliamentary panel plans to officially seek the government’s stance regarding the approval delays. Furthermore, the committee noted that, if deemed necessary, it will summon representatives from private telecom and satellite companies to present their perspectives and clarify the industry’s competitive landscape.
The race for satellite internet dominance in the Indian market involves major domestic conglomerates alongside Starlink. According to Dubey, applications for launching satellite internet services have also been submitted by Jio Satellite Communications, a venture of Reliance Jio, and Eutelsat OneWeb, which is backed by Bharti Airtel. Both domestic telecom giants already command a massive share of the traditional mobile and internet network services across the country.
Beyond the satellite internet regulatory framework, Wednesday’s committee meeting witnessed debates on several other pressing issues. Opposition Members of Parliament highlighted the severe mobile network connectivity problems currently plaguing Delhi’s high-security Lutyens’ zone, attributing the ongoing cellular disruptions to the heavy presence of protests in the area.
Additionally, Congress parliamentarians attempted to initiate a debate regarding the operational transparency of the Election Commission of India. The leaders demanded a discussion on the functioning and access logs of the poll body’s ECINet, as well as matters related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. However, Chairman Dubey firmly disallowed the demand, stating that the Election Commission is an independent constitutional authority, and scrutinizing its internal mechanisms falls entirely outside the parliamentary committee’s mandated purview.