Letter by Shri E A S Sarma, Former Secretary to the Government of India to the Secretary, Department of Telecommunication (DOT)
To
Dr. Neeraj Mittal
Secretary
Department of Telecommunications (DOT)
Government of India
Dear Dr Mittal,
I refer to my letter of October 17, 2024 on the illegality involved in the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) administratively allotting strategic satellite spectrum to telecom service providers, especially the public interest implications of allotting it to foreign players (https://countercurrents.org/2024/10/elon-musk-and-satellite-spectrum-allocation-dot-should-earmark-satellite-spectrum-for-strategic-uses-respect-apex-courts-judgement-in-2g-spectrum-case/).
I am surprised that the DOT should obstinately go ahead allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink to have access to satellite spectrum without going through the apex-court-prescribed transparent auction procedure (https://www.timesnownews.com/india/elon-musks-starlink-facing-roadblocks-in-india-union-minister-shares-big-update-article-115221051). It defies all economic logic of discovering the price of a valuable natural resource like spectrum through competitive means.
I am not sure whether the government is aware that Starlink has close ties with the US Army. “It is important to understand that Starlink is not so much a means of satellite communication, but a time-tested reliable satellite bus technology that can accommodate various payloads as needed, including radars, optical cameras, and infrared (IR) missile launch signaling systems. It is obvious that the Pentagon is interested in getting the most it can out of the functionality provided by Starshield satellites” (https://babel.ua/en/news/98461-elon-musk-partially-transferred-control-of-starlink-to-the-us-military & https://maxpolyakov.com/hidden-military-potential-of-starlink/)
Once allotted satellite spectrum, a foreign player like Starlink can have unlimited access to personal and public data systems in India, with no bar on the company using the same across geographic borders.
I would appeal to DOT
- not to rush into a system of administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, which amounts to committing contempt of the apex court’s direction, defying all norms of transparency,
- not to rush into allotting satellite spectrum to foreign players, especially those under the influence of foreign powers.
It will be prudent for DOT to reserve satellite spectrum for purely strategic purposes that subserve the national interest, such as use by ISRO, the Indian defence forces and CPSEs involved in strategic communications activity for such organisations.
I hope that the government will tread cautiously in this matter.
Regards,
Yours sincerely,
E A S Sarma
Visakhapatnam
14th November 2024