Guidelines issued this week for satellite internet services companies address crucial cross-border security issues, including from Pakistan, minister of state for communications, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, said on Tuesday.
“We are taking extra caution as this satellite constellation goes around the world… So, cross-border network issues will be there,” Pemmasani said at a media briefing, adding that Pakistan was attempting to hack cyber networks in India.
The department of telecommunications on Monday issued guidelines to tighten security as global satellite communication companies such as Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, and Globalstar look to enter India.
Pemmasani, however, downplayed any entry barriers for these firms under the new rules.
India has so far approved the applications of Bharti Enterprises-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio, while Elon Musk-owned Starlink, Kuiper, and Globalstar are awaiting regulatory clearances.
Pemmasani said firms such as Starlink would only play a small role in India’s connectivity owing to their expensive service, slower speed than mobile connectivity, and small market size as compared to traditional mobile networks.
“Around the world, Starlink only has less than 50 lakh (5 million) connections. The speed is much lower. Third, it’s quite expensive, both for installation as well as monthly payment,” Pemmasani said. “This (Starlink service) is mainly for maritime, people who are really remote, and where traditional networks cannot reach.”
On Starlink’s application for starting its services in India, the minister said it was a “little complicated issue… We have to look at multiple angles and security is one of them. It is in the final stages”.
DoT’s guidelines
Per the department of telecommunications’ guidelines, companies seeking a global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) licence in India would require security clearance for specific gateway or hub locations in the country.
The government has also mandated data localisation, lawful interception, and local manufacturing requirements for satcom companies.
Gateways or hubs serve as a connection point between satellites and local telecom networks, processing and routing the data transmitted via satellite to users on the ground.
The government wants satellite communication to allow for monitoring and intercepting communications at the gateway when legally required, as is the norm with telecom operators.
“Essential functionalities like lawful interception facility, monitoring/control facility of user terminals, user data traffic routing, control of equipment in gateway routing data traffic, etc., of the network control and monitoring centre (or equivalent facility) shall be located in India,” DoT said in its guidelines.
The government has asked satcom companies to implement service restriction or denial to any individual, group of subscribers, or certain geographical areas as required by law enforcement or security agencies.
One key condition the government insists on is localisation of data.
“The Indian user traffic shall not be routed through any gateway/PoP (point of presence) located abroad or any space system, which is not part of satellite/constellation used for providing service,” DoT said, adding that a licensee would have to submit an undertaking that it shall not copy and decrypt Indian telecom data outside India.
The government has also instructed that the location of user terminals or other sensitive information pertaining to users not be visible or accessible at any location abroad.
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