Security forces in Manipur recently recovered a Starlink-like device, including a satellite dish and router, from an insurgent group in the Imphal East district. Along with the device, a significant cache of weapons, including sniper rifles, pistols, grenades, and ammunition, was also seized. This discovery has raised concerns that insurgents are using satellite internet to bypass internet blackouts, potentially accessing critical information even in restricted areas.
Investigation Underway for Starlink-like Device
The recovery of the Starlink-like satellite equipment is now under investigation by relevant authorities to determine its origins and how it ended up in Manipur. The items were recovered on December 13 during a coordinated search operation in Imphal East. While the device in question may resemble a Starlink satellite product, it has yet to be confirmed whether it is genuine, as Starlink does not have a license to operate in India.
Acting on specific intelligence, troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles formations under #SpearCorps carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in #Manipur, in close coordination with… pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE
— SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) December 16, 2024
Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, provides global broadband connectivity in countries where it holds operating licenses. In response to claims that the device seized in Manipur was a Starlink product, Musk publicly refuted the allegation, stating that “Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India,” calling the claims “false.”
The joint operation, carried out by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and the Manipur Police, resulted in the recovery of 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, and war-like materials. In addition to the weapons, the security forces also seized the satellite equipment, described by Manipur police as an “internet satellite antenna and internet satellite router.”
Role of Starlink in Conflict Zones
The insurgent group in question, the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), and its military wing, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are among the eight Meitei insurgent groups banned by the Indian government. The PLA has been active near the India-Myanmar border, with ongoing reports from The Myanmar Internet Project indicating that Starlink services are being utilized by both insurgent groups and civilians in remote areas of Myanmar, bypassing local internet restrictions.
Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates globally in countries where it has the necessary licenses. In response to claims that the device was a Starlink, Musk clarified that it was “false” and that “Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.”
The search operation, coordinated by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and the Manipur Police, recovered a total of 29 weapons, including snipers, automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, and war-like materials. The operation also uncovered the device, which the Manipur police described as an “internet satellite antenna and internet satellite router.”
The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) and its military wing, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), are one of the eight Meitei insurgent groups banned by the Indian government. Additionally, research by The Myanmar Internet Project suggests that Starlink services are being used in Myanmar by both insurgent groups and civilians in remote areas. The PLA has been active near the India-Myanmar border.
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