The satellite internet service provider operated by Musk's SpaceX company, is not permitted to legally operate in India amid security concerns but is allowed by Myanmar, which neighbours Manipur.
Since May 2023, the north-east Indian state has been engulfed in a conflict between the majority Meitei population and the Kuki minority in which more than 250 people have died. Armed groups have formed on both sides as the state has become divided along ethnic lines.
The state and national governments have repeatedly shut down all internet access across Manipur, often for months or weeks at a time, in an attempt to bring the situation under control.
Sources in the armed groups and in the police confirmed to the Guardian that Starlink satellite internet worked in several areas of Manipur and had been used by individuals and militant groups when the government shut down mobile and broadband internet.
This story is from the January 04, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the January 04, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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