Internet must be democratised. Elon Musk’s Starlink must not

India should not give Elon Musk a free pass into one of its most strategically sensitive infrastructures merely because he promises to connect the unconnected. But neither should the state use sovereignty as a licence to disconnect citizens.

Elon Musk is once again knocking on India’s door. Starlink has reapplied for regulatory approval to deploy its next-generation satellite constellation in India, promising to connect the least served people in remote and rural areas. On the face of it, the case is valid. India does have connectivity gaps, and satellite internet can reach places where laying fibre or building mobile towers becomes unviable from an economic or terrain standpoint.

But the government should resist the temptation to mistake a legitimate public need for a compelling case for Elon Musk’s business interests.

Read more: India doesn’t need Starlink? Users slam Musk’s pitch over security …

The reason is trust. India spent years courting Tesla with an extraordinary policy proposition. The government’s EV policy offered companies such as Tesla the possibility of importing cars at a sharply reduced 15% tariff, but only against a minimum $500 million........

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