GUWAHATI: Security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district have reportedly recovered a device resembling a Starlink satellite dish and router during a search operation.
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The operation, conducted on Friday, December 13 by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police, unearthed a cache of weapons, including sniper rifles, pistols, grenades, and an "internet satellite antenna and router."
The Dimapur-headquartered Spear Corps shared images of the seized equipment on X (formerly Twitter), which included a satellite device featuring the Starlink logo and inscriptions linked to the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), the political arm of the banned Meitei insurgent group People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The post read: “Acting on specific intelligence, troops of #IndianArmy and #AssamRifles formations under #SpearCorps carried out joint search operations... in close coordination with @manipur_police and other security forces and recovered 29 weapons... grenades, ammunition and war-like stores.”
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates the world’s largest satellite constellation, offering broadband Internet in licensed countries. However, the service is not authorised in India. Responding to the allegations, Musk dismissed claims of Starlink's involvement, stating on X that the reports were “false” and that "Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.” He clarified in another post, “The beams were never on in the first place.”
Speaking to GPlus, Indian Army PRO (Kohima) said, "This is false. Some people are just trying to drag big names to it. We haven't recovered any Starlink devices as such."
The recovery has prompted agencies to investigate how such equipment, if confirmed as genuine, reached the state. Officials remain cautious, as it is yet to be verified whether the device is a legitimate Starlink product or a counterfeit.