Influential Hindu group urges India to block Starlink amid Musk-Ambani feud

BENGALURU, Oct 13 (Reuters) - A prominent Hindu nationalist organization affiliated with India's ruling party has called on the government to impede Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet services from entering the nation. National security concerns prompted the call, with the group arguing that Starlink could hinder authorities' ability to regulate internet services during emergencies and ensure that Indian traffic remains domestically routed.

The group, Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), has previously shaped Indian policy, such as advocating for rules to safeguard small traders against US e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart. Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, did not immediately address inquiries regarding the matter.

Starlink has been awaiting a four-year license to operate in India. Recently, Musk attributed the delay to the government and billionaire Mukesh Ambani withholding approval to benefit Ambani's Reliance Jio. The communications ministry in India stated that security assessments are currently underway for Starlink and competing satellite projects backed by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. The ministry dismissed claims that the approval process is unfair or discriminatory as "baseless and misconceived."

The SJM's demand for Starlink's prohibition is also tied to trade tensions with the US, with the group's national co-convenor, Ashwani Mahajan, stating that if Washington imposes high tariffs on Indian imports on national security grounds, India has a right to block Starlink based on genuine national security concerns.