Amid the ongoing controversy over Elon Musk-owned Starlink’s proposed operations in India, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology on Wednesday decided to examine the issue of commercial satellite broadband services in the country.BJP MP from Godda and panel chairman Nishikant Dubey said the decision was taken at a meeting of committee members, who selected satellite internet as one of the subjects for examination and study.Among companies that have applied for licences to launch satellite internet services in India are US-based Starlink, Jattvibeil Bharti Mittal-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance’s Jio Satcom.At present, broadband and mobile data services in India are delivered primarily through terrestrial telecom networks and infrastructure.Importantly, the BJP’s ideological mentor, the RSS, only a day earlier took a strong position against Starlink, urging the government to block the company’s entry into India.The decision to bring satellite internet services under parliamentary scrutiny came even as top government sources reiterated that satellite communication companies must comply with Indian laws and regulatory requirements to operate in the country.With Musk stepping up his criticism of India’s regulatory framework through posts on X targeting Indian business interests, sources said companies must adhere to rules requiring the establishment of necessary ground infrastructure, including base stations integrated with the national security apparatus.“From the day they applied, the government’s position has been very clear. If you want to do business in India, you have to follow Indian law. They have to understand this,” a source said in reference to Musk’s stance.Explaining the regulatory concerns, sources said the provision of services in a particular territory required the establishment of a base station to facilitate oversight and ensure compliance with applicable regulations. “Suppose you want to regulate something in a particular area. You need a base station in the country,” they said.Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, recently publicly attacked billionaire Mukesh Ambani, alleging his “monopolistic chokehold” over the Indian market.The government rejected the allegations, saying it had put in place a “fair and non-discriminatory” authorisation framework for all telecommunications services, including satellite communications.RSS’ economic wing SJM, which is certain to depose before the parliamentary panel, said Starlink satellites could communicate with one another through laser links.“India’s concern is that internet traffic could bypass domestic gateways and travel through foreign infrastructure, making lawful monitoring and enforcement more difficult. The government wants Indian traffic routed through gateways within India,” SJM national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan said.He said the issue assumed greater significance at a time when India was grappling with multiple law-and-order challenges and social media platforms could fuel fake narratives.“Disrupting internet services frequently becomes essential to maintain law and order during instances of separatism, terrorism, riots, protests and similar situations. This is where Starlink’s entry poses a challenge,” the SJM said, adding that satellite internet could be used by hostile actors, smugglers or insurgent groups to communicate outside conventional telecom networks.