Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has defended India’s right to determine its own satellite internet policy, saying Starlink and other companies should not influence national decisions on networks, spectrum, security or market access.
In a statement reported by Dinamalar, Haasan said India should welcome competition from Indian and international companies that can provide practical and affordable satellite-based internet services to people in remote areas. However, he cautioned that subscription charges and equipment costs could place such services beyond the reach of ordinary families in a country with relatively low per-capita income.
The remarks come as Elon Musk has reportedly complained that Starlink has not been permitted to provide satellite internet services in India. While some people in India have supported Musk’s position, the report said others have opposed it on national-security grounds.
Haasan argued that networks and spectrum should not be treated only as commercial assets. According to his statement, they are part of the country’s infrastructure, making security considerations central to decisions on access and regulation. He also said every country makes choices based on its own interests and that countries enforcing strict security rules domestically should not simply advocate open markets elsewhere.
The MP referred to restrictions imposed by the United States on Chinese electric vehicles and to action taken by both India and the US against Huawei over security concerns. He used these examples to argue that countries seeking equal access in foreign markets must also recognise the policy choices made by other nations to protect domestic industry and strategic interests.
The statement also linked the satellite internet debate to India’s existing public digital infrastructure. Haasan cited BharatNet, the programme intended to extend broadband connectivity to local-government institutions in rural areas, and questioned why it was facing implementation difficulties. He attributed that concern to findings in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s 2026 audit report.
Haasan further praised India’s telecom sector and its regulatory framework for helping make internet data among the world’s most affordable and for connecting millions of people. His position was that satellite services should complement this broader connectivity effort rather than be assessed only through the lens of private market access.
The debate therefore centres on three issues identified in the statement: whether satellite internet can serve remote communities at an affordable cost, how India should balance competition with national security, and whether existing public broadband programmes are delivering their intended reach. No change in India’s regulatory position or approval status for Starlink was announced in the report. Haasan concluded that India would remain open to the world while retaining the right to determine its own digital and infrastructure priorities.
