India's National Security Comes First, Rajeev Chandrasekhar Says Amid Elon Musk Starlink Approval Row

· Free Press Journal

New Delhi, Oct 9: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Friday that Elon Musk’s Starlink is certainly a great innovation in recent times, but the Government of India has to do what it is obliged to do — to protect its national security, sovereignty and people.

Speaking to IANS on the Starlink row, Chandrasekhar said one tweet or one post doesn't change government policymaking.

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“One entrepreneur cannot pressure the government to change its goals, its objectives, its imperatives or its priorities. And while Elon is certainly one of the brightest geniuses in the world and is one of the most successful futuristic entrepreneurs in the world, and his Starlink is certainly a great company and the greatest mobility innovation in recent times, all that being said, the Government of India has to do what it is obliged to do, which is to protect its national security, protect its sovereignty and protect its people,” Chandrasekhar elaborated.

Satellite services await security clearances

The rollout of satellite communication services in India is currently awaiting security clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and all satellite communication companies are at a similar stage in the regulatory process.

According to Chandrasekhar, the principles around which Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government operates in the tech sector are a framework that was established in 2021.

“The principles are that technology should be open and accessible to everybody and by everybody. What I think Elon Musk has suggested is that somehow the delay in getting approvals for not just his company, Starlink, but also for the other three companies that have applied for these permissions, is somehow motivated by some competitive interest,” he told IANS.

Chandrasekhar rejects competitive interest claims

That simply is not true, he said.

“I think the government has spoken. I'm not the government. But the issue is simply that satellite technology represents a very different type of challenge for national security. The security clearance process that is underway will carefully vet the safety and trust issues of every provider and every applicant. And that is what the government is doing. I think patience is what is required, not impatience,” Chandrasekhar noted.

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H-1B visas and Indian talent

He said he worked in the US for six years and was a beneficiary of the H-1B and the green card process that the US uses to invite global talent to participate in the US economy and the technology ecosystem.

“There is no doubt in anybody's mind, including the current US administration, that Indian talent has played a significant role in the development of the US' leadership in technology. At the same time, I think they are making the case, and the US government is in the best position to make a case, that some companies, Indian and US, have misused this H-1B visa process and are necessarily being embargoed for it,” said Chandrasekhar.

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US opportunities and India's talent

Will anybody benefit from this?

“Obviously, the US government, in its wisdom, will prevent those who are misusing it from entering the US. But net-net, India's talent is something the US economy requires, and US opportunities are what Indian talent seeks out,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

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