India’s security policy not shaped by social media pressure, says Nishikant Dubey amid Starlink row
The chair of the Standing Committee on IT says the panel examined security concerns associated with Starlink; counters Elon Musk’s criticism of resistance to the satellite internet service’s entry into India
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, who oversees the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, stated on Sunday that India's security policy is not influenced by social media pressure or external forces, in response to Elon Musk's criticism of the resistance to his satellite internet service Starlink in India.
Dubey informed that the committee had investigated the security concerns surrounding Starlink, asserting that the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and investigation agencies raised alarms about what he described as "dangerous games". He also mentioned that similar apprehensions were expressed by the Congress-led government in 2013-14, though he refrained from detailing the specific threats.
Dubey firmly rejected the notion that India's policy could be swayed through social media campaigns. He dismissed claims that financial factors had swayed government decisions, asserting, "If our policy was driven by money, we would have rolled out the red carpet for you despite opposition from the security agencies." Dubey questioned Musk's criticism, stating, "First, provide connections to the poor in your own country, America, at affordable rates, and then level accusations."
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