Raising serious objections, over what he described as the 'imprudent and opaque' administrative allocation of satellite spectrum by the department of telecommunications (DoT) to Elon Musk’s Starlink and calling it a violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the landmark 2G spectrum case and a grave threat to national security, former Union secretary EAS Sarma has demanded an immediate judicial enquiry in the matter.
Mr Sarma, in a letter written to Union cabinet secretary TV Somanathan, says, "Neither the DoT nor any other authority concerned with spectrum allotment directly or indirectly can absolve itself from public accountability, as spectrum bands are in the nature of a scarce natural resource that belongs to the people. Any arbitrary allocation of it to a private party violates the doctrine of public trust."
The former Union secretary criticised the Indian government for what he described as 'imprudent concessions' granted to Starlink, a foreign company with close ties to the US defence establishment. He warned that allowing Starlink near-exclusive access to India’s strategic satellite spectrum bands not only undermines national security but also violates the principle of public accountability.
Mr Sarma cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in the 2G spectrum case which clearly held that natural resources such as spectrum must not be allocated administratively to private entities, but only through transparent and competitive methods.
He expressed particular alarm over the DoT's decision to exempt Starlink from a critical security licence condition — the requirement that allows Indian enforcement authorities to monitor satellite terminals near international borders. According to the former Union secretary, this exemption creates a serious vulnerability in border regions and reflects an unusual level of leniency extended to a private foreign company operating in a strategically sensitive sector.
The former bureaucrat has been vocal about the issue for several months and has previously written multiple letters to the DoT, urging the government to reserve satellite spectrum exclusively for Indian strategic use through agencies such as ISRO and the armed forces.
In his latest letter, he noted that his repeated appeals have been ignored, and the silence from the authorities raises disturbing questions about accountability and transparency in decision-making.
Mr Sarma also referenced recent developments in neighbouring countries, pointing out that both Bangladesh and Pakistan have similarly allowed Starlink to operate in their spectrum spaces. He says this growing influence of the company across the region has already generated public concern in India, particularly given Starlink’s reported cooperation with defence establishments of several countries, including the US.
Citing the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam and the subsequent diplomatic exchanges with the US, Mr Sarma noted the irony of India rejecting external interference on one front while simultaneously allowing a US-linked private company to acquire a virtual monopoly over its communication infrastructure.
In his letter, the former Union secretary called for a comprehensive judicial enquiry into the entire spectrum allocation process involving Starlink. He asked for the enquiry to examine whether the administrative allocation violates the Supreme Court’s guidelines, whether the licence conditions deviate from existing security norms, what the strategic implications of Starlink’s operations are, whether the public exchequer suffered a financial loss due to the lack of auction, and who should be held accountable if irregularities are found.
Mr Sarma emphasised that satellite spectrum, as a public asset, must be governed by the Doctrine of Public Trust, and any deviation from transparent procedures amounts to a breach of constitutional responsibility. He warned that, if the government fails to act swiftly, he would be compelled to approach the judiciary to seek redress.
As of now, there has been no official response from the cabinet secretariat or the DoT. The government’s handling of the Starlink deal could come under increasing scrutiny in the days ahead, especially as questions mount over transparency, national interest and regulatory oversight in the sensitive telecom and satellite communication sectors.
