Daily Current Affairs

July 12, 2025

Current Affairs

Are Existing Mechanisms effective in preventing Custodial Violence?

Context: The gruesome death of a security guard in police custody in Tamil Nadu is yet another grim addition to the long and growing list of custodial deaths in India. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Existing mechanisms to prevent Custodial Violence in India.

Mains: Custodial Violence in India: Safeguards, Limitations, Reforms needed. 

Existing mechanisms to prevent Custodial Violence in India

1. Constitutional Safeguards:

  • Article 21 guarantees the fundamental right to protection of life and personal liberty.
    • No person shall be deprived of their life except according to the procedure established by law.
    • It provides the right to live with dignity and free from any form of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
  • Article 22(1): No person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed of the grounds for such arrest.
  • Article 22(2): Every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of 24 hours of such arrest.
  • Article 20(3): No person accused of an offense shall be compelled to be a witness against themselves. Individuals cannot be forced to provide evidence or testimony that may incriminate themselves. 

2. Statutory Safeguards:

  • Section 41A of CrPC: Provides safeguards such as informing the accused of their rights and providing access to legal aid. It ensures that neither the accused’s rights are deprived nor they are unfairly treated during and after the arrest.
  • Section 176(1)of CrPC: Requires a Judicial Magistrate or Executive Magistrate to launch an investigation when a person passes away while in custody or any other location where the person is receiving institutional or state care.
  • Section 25 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872: A confession made to a police officer is prohibited and cannot be admitted in evidence. The fundamental principle underlying is that a police officer may subject an arrested person to severe torture and force him to confess to the guilt of a crime that he may not have committed. 

3. Judicial Guidelines: 

  • D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997): The Supreme Court laid down strict guidelines related to custodial violence and deaths. These guidelines are to be followed in all cases of arrest and detention until legal provisions are made for the safeguard of a person in custody.
  • Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006): The SC mandated the creation of police complaints authorities led by retired judges, at the State and district levels to address complaints against police misconduct. 
  • Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh (2020): The SC mandated the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations and lockups, and affirmed victims’ right to access the footage. 
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Associated Challenges: 

  • Lack of Sensitisation:
    • Police personnel often normalise custodial violence as a necessary means to achieve justice, especially when the formal legal process is seen as slow and ineffective. 
    • Public reaction to custodial violence is inconsistent and often shaped by the nature of the case. 
  • Legal Issues:
    • India lacks a stand-alone domestic law criminalising torture.
    • India has signed but not ratified UNCAT (United Nations Convention Against Torture). This reflects a lack of political will to implement international human rights obligations.  
    • Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 permits the use of material recovered (as evidence) as a result of confessions from the accused. This loophole enables the continued use of custodial torture to produce evidence that is admissible in court.
  • Weak Institutional Accountability:
    • Minimal compliance with the SC mandate (2020) to install CCTV cameras in police stations. Acts of torture often occur outside police stations. Even where cameras are installed, the access to the footage is usually denied citing non-functionality of cameras. 
    • Absence of Police Complaints Authorities: Most States have failed to establish these authorities. Even if they exist, their credibility is compromised by the inclusion of serving police officers as members. 
    • Lapses in Magisterial Oversight: Magistrates often fail to fulfil their intended role, which includes scrutinising the grounds for arrest, physically examining the accused for signs of torture, and engaging meaningfully with them to uncover any evidence of mistreatment. 
    • Medico-legal examinations are often reduced to a mere formality. This systemic failure contributes to the abysmally low conviction rates in cases of custodial torture and deaths.
  • Absence of authoritative data on custodial violence. In the absence of accurate data, the accountability mechanisms remain weak.

Law Commission’s 273rd Report (2017) recommends enacting a stand-alone Anti-Torture law in India and ratification of the UN Convention against Torture, amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1973, and the Evidence Act, 1872.

NHRC Guidelines for Police Reforms (2021)

  • Set up Police Complaints Authorities: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the State Governments to set up the Authorities at the State/UT and district level, as per the judgment in Prakash Singh vs. Union of India, 2006. The status of compliance should be displayed on the websites of the Ministry and the State Home Departments.
  • Add Section 114 B to Indian Evidence Act, 1872: Implement recommendations of the 113th report of the Law Commission to add Section 114 B to the Indian Evidence Act. This would ensure that in case a person sustains injuries in police custody, it is presumed that the injuries were inflicted by the police and the burden of proof to explain the injury lies on the authority concerned.
  • Make legal framework technology-friendly to speed up the criminal justice system. Install CCTV cameras with night vision in all police stations immediately to ensure accountability. 
  • Community Policing: Involvement of trained social workers and law students with police stations as part of community policing and incorporating community policing in police manuals, laws and advisories. 

Way Forward

  • Set up district-level mental health units with mandatory quarterly counselling, and refresher sensitisation courses for detainees and for officers. This will institutionalise mental wellness within law enforcement. 
  • Reforms in Police training: The curriculum needs a redesign to include human rights sensitisation, trauma-informed investigation methods and community policing models.
  • Implement robust training programmes that not only equip police personnel with modern policing methods, but also sensitise them to their own implicit biases. 
  • Technology as a safeguard: CCTV cameras in areas where people are in custody should be operational, tamper-proof, and subject to real-time audits.
  • Comprehensive Anti-Custodial Violence Law with time-bound investigation mechanisms, mandatory video documentation of interrogations, and civil society involvement in oversight. 

“Every custodial death not just marks the end of one life but also the failure of the state’s moral contract with its people.” 

To break this cycle, India needs to invest not just in policing but also in the emotional, ethical, and structural reform of law enforcement. This is needed so that the institution is viewed not as a symbol of unyielding authority, but of service, restraint, and human responsibility. 

Need to Safeguard the Right to Vote

Context: The Supreme Court of India has directed the Election Commission (EC) to consider Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards (EPIC), and ration cards as acceptable documents for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The move is aimed at improving access and reducing wrongful exclusions.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Universal Adult Suffrage (UAS) in India; Right to Vote. 

Universal Adult Suffrage (UAS) in India

  • Article 326 of the Constitution grants every adult citizen the right to vote, regardless of gender, caste, religion, education, or property. 
  • 61st Constitutional Amendment 1989: Initial threshold of 21 years of age for being eligible to vote was lowered to 18 by the 61st CAA. 
  • Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) established democracy as part of the ‘basic structure’ doctrine. For this ideal to function meaningfully, people should be able to freely decide the fate of their government (through voting), an unassailable right that shapes governance.
  • Two Key laws operationalised this inclusive vision:
    • Representation of the People Act 1950 which governs the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. 
    • Representation of the People Act 1951 Act which regulates election conduct, candidature, and electoral offences. 
  • Under Article 324 the Election Commission (EC) serves as a constitutional guardian of elections, with powers of superintendence, direction, and control. EC’s key duty is to prepare accurate electoral rolls, guided by Section 19 of the RPA 1950, which mandates that any citizen aged 18 or above, ordinarily resident in a constituency and not disqualified, is entitled to be registered. 

Winston Churchill once said, “At the bottom of all tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into a little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper…”

His words remain a timeless reminder that the health of any democracy ultimately rests on the sanctity of the ‘right to vote’.

Is Voting a Fundamental Right in India?

  • Constituent Assembly view: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and K.T. Shah proposed including the right to vote as a fundamental right; the Constituent Assembly’s Advisory Committee ultimately rejected the idea. 
  • Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India (2006): The five-judge bench of the SC held that the ‘right to elect’ is a statutory right under Section 62 of the RPA 1951, and not a fundamental or constitutional right.
  • Rajbala v. State of Haryana (2016): The two-judge bench of SC described the ‘right to vote’ as a constitutional right, though not a fundamental right. However, the ruling of the larger-bench in the Kuldip Nayar judgment prevails. 
  • Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023): The SC declined to pronounce on the issue, noting that it had already been settled by the Kuldip Nayar judgment.
    • In the minority view (dissent opinion), the Justice asserted that the ‘right to vote’ is an expression of Article 19(1)(a) and reflects the essence of Article 21. 
    • However, the ‘right to elect’ continues to be recognised as a statutory right. 

Nevertheless, the courts have regarded the right to vote as an inseparable part of democracy, as it enables citizens to shape governance, making it a democratic imperative vital to the Indian republic’s survival. 

John Dewey said, “Democracy is not just a form of government, but a social and personal ideal.”

Why does Electoral Roll Accuracy Matter?

  • Under Section 21 of the RPA, 1950, the EC is empowered to prepare and revise electoral rolls to ensure their accuracy and integrity.
  • Inaccuracies in Electoral Roll like mass omissions, ineligible inclusions, duplicates, or incorrect entries undermine the “one person, one vote” principle by enabling impersonation, disenfranchisement, or dilution of votes, which ultimately distorts the people’s mandate. 
  • The Bihar SIR controversy and broader electoral reform debates highlights the core democratic truth:
    • India’s democracy depends on electoral rolls that are accurate, inclusive, and accessible. 
    • Purification of rolls is necessary because just as the exclusion of an eligible voter undermines democracy, so does the inclusion of an ineligible name.

Thus, EC must complete the exercise with a careful balance between genuine vigilance and inclusion to uphold the fairness of the process. The SC’s suggestion to include more accepted documents helps safeguard every genuine elector’s right to be represented.

ICC issues Arrest Warrant against Taliban Leaders 

Context: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for two senior Taliban leaders for the crime of persecuting women, girls, and others who oppose the gender policy of the government. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Rome Statute, Facts about ICC. 

ICC issues Arrest Warrant against Taliban Leaders

  • Warrant issued against: Two senior Taliban leaders- Supreme leader Hibatullah Akhunzada and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court- Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
  • Ground: On charges of systematic persecution of women and girls. 
  • Legal Basis- Afghanistan’s ICC Membership: ICC has jurisdiction over crimes committed on Afghan soil or by Afghan nationals after Afghanistan acceded to the Rome Statute in 2003. 

Systematic Persecution of Women and Girls in Afghanistan:  

  • Taliban has severely deprived girls and women of:
    • basic human rights like education, privacy, and family life
    • freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience, and religion.
  • E.g., barring girls from secondary schools, beauty salons, excluding women from most workplaces, and restricting their movement without a male guardian.
  • 144-page Morality Law (2024) promulgated by the Taliban includes provisions requiring women to cover their entire body in public, and to not sing or even speak in public. It forbids women and men from looking at each other in public, and provides for the persecution of LGBTQIA+ people. 

What is the International Criminal Court? 

image 21

ICC’s law on Crimes Against Humanity: 

Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines crimes against humanity as : 

  • Crimes against humanity include persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender… or other grounds universally recognised as impermissible under international law, carried out as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population.

Impact of the ICC's Warrant:  

  • The warrants mark the first time the global court has taken legal action directly against the Taliban leadership for gender-based persecution. 
  • However ICC’s warrant is unlikely to result in any arrest, as Taliban rejects ICC jurisdiction, rendering the warrant unenforceable in Afghanistan.

UAE’s Golden Visa

Context: The UAE government has given clarification on eligibility and investment criteria for its Golden Visa scheme, dismissing the widespread media claims in India about a ₹23 lakh visa as false.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about UAE's Golden Visa.

What is the UAE’s Golden visa?

The UAE’s ‘Golden visa’ is a long-term residence visa which enables foreign talents to live, work or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits which include:

  • entry visa for 6 months with multiple entries to proceed with residence issuance
  • long-term, renewable residence visa valid for 5 or 10 years
  • privilege of not needing a sponsor.
  • ability to stay outside the UAE for more than the usual period of 6 months in order to keep their residence visa valid
  • ability to sponsor their family members, including spouses and children and domestic helpers
  • permit for family members to stay in the UAE until the end of their permit duration, if the primary holder of the Golden visa passes away.

Who is a Sponsor?

  • In the context of the UAE residency system, a sponsor refers to a local individual or organisation (usually an employer or relative) who takes legal responsibility for a foreign national residing in the UAE.
  • The sponsor has the legal right to cancel the visa of the person they are sponsoring.
image 20

Categories eligible for UAE Golden Visa

How much money has to be spent for the visa: AED 2 million for real estate and other investors. Main categories of individuals eligible for the UAE Golden Visa :

  • Public investors: People willing to invest dirhams (AED) 2 million in an accredited UAE investment fund. There are some requirements for this:
    • investors must possess a valid commercial or industrial licence
    • a tax certificate to prove annual tax contribution of at least AED 2,50,000
  • Entrepreneurs: People willing to invest AED 5,00,000 in any project approved by the authorities are eligible. The projects need to be tech-based. 
  • Real estate investors: People owning property worth AED 2 million (not under mortgage) along with proof of residence in the UAE. 
  • Exceptional talent: Doctors, scientists, athletes and domain experts.
  • Outstanding students, Humanitarian pioneers and Frontline heroes. 

Who is not Eligible?  

  • The UAE has clarified that crypto investors are not eligible for this visa.

Golden Visa available in the US: 

  • Requirement: Applicants who invest $1 million in a non-targeted area or invest $8,00,000 in a targeted, rural area with high unemployment, and create 10 full-time jobs for US workers are eligible for the EB-5 visa.
  • Benefit: The US EB-5 visa also allows permanent residency. 

How is the UAE Golden Visa different from the US Green Card?

  • The UAE Golden Visa offers long-term but temporary residency, while the US Green Card provides permanent residency.
  • The Golden Visa has no citizenship pathway, whereas Green Card holders can apply for US citizenship after 5 years (or 3 years if married to a US citizen).

Pandharpur Wari

Context: Every year, in the month of June-July, thousands of devotees in Maharashtra embark on a spiritual journey (yatra) called Pandharpur Wari. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Pandharpur Wari. 

Pandharpur Wari

  • The Pandharpur wari is an annual pilgrimage (yatra) from various parts of Maharashtra to Pandharpur in Maharashtra, the abode of Lord Vitthal (revered form of Lord Vishnu).
  • It involves carrying the paduka (sacred sandals) of saints in a palki, most notably of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj, from their respective shrines to Pandharpur.  Many pilgrims join this procession on foot. 
  • The tradition is more than 700 to 800 years old. Warkari means "one who performs the wari". Warkaris (devotees) walk for nearly 20 days, covering over 250 kilometres on foot.

Along the way, they sing abhangas (devotional songs) and perform kirtans.

Also Read: Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra 

Is Gini Index the Right Way to Measure Inequality?

Context: The government recently claimed that India is one of the most equal countries based on the Gini Index. However, the experts argue that this measure does not fully capture the real extent of inequality.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Gini Coefficient, Palm Ratio, World Inequality Database, World Bank recent report on inequality.

What is the Gini Index?

  • Gini Index or Gini Coefficient is a statistical measure of inequality. It quantifies how equally income, wealth or consumption is distributed across households or individuals in a country. 
  • It ranges in value from 0 to 100. A score of 0 means perfect equality. A score of 100 means one person has all the income, wealth or consumption and others have none, hence absolute inequality. The higher the Gini Index the more unequal the country.
  • Graphically Gini Index can be explained by the Lorenz curve.
    • A perfectly equal distribution will be shown by a diagonal line, while the actual distribution will be shown by the Lorenz curve. 
    • The Gini Index tells us how far the Lorenz Curve is from the ideal equality line; the farther it is, the more unequal the society. 
Lorenz curve

India's Gini Index Trends: 

  • As per the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Brief- India ranks fourth globally in income equality with a Gini score of 25.5 (2022-23), after the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Belarus. 
  • The index was measured at 28.8 in 2011, and reached 25.5 in 2022. This shows that India has made consistent progress in combining economic growth with social equity.
  • India primarily uses a consumption-based Gini Index instead of an income-based one, relying on household surveys that measure inequality based on individuals’ consumption levels rather than their actual incomes.

However, economists argue that consumption-based Gini Index fails to reflect actual levels of inequality, especially in India’s context.

image 18

Trends from World Inequality Lab Database: 

World Inequality Database which is based on income shows: 

  • Income inequality in India is rising from a Gini of 52 in 2004 to 62 in 2023. 
  • Wage disparity remains high, with the median earnings of the top 10% being 13 times higher than bottom 10% in 2023-24.
  • The top 1% earn more than 22% of national income. The bottom 50% earn less than 15%. India's inequality is now worse than colonial levels.
image 19

Limitations of Consumption-based Measures: 

  • Underestimates Inequality: Rich people consume proportionally less and save more of their income. Poor people spend nearly all of their income leading to less visible inequality in consumption data.
  • Fails to capture Wealth Inequality: Wealth disparities such as those in property or financial assets are ignored.
  • Affected by Public subsidies: Free ration, subsidies etc. improves consumption data but may not always lower inequality in real life. 

Thus, it is misleading to compare India's Consumption based Gini Index value with that of other countries, which use an income based Gini. 

Limitations of the Survey data

  • Differential Non-response Bias: High-income individuals often decline to participate in surveys.
  • Sampling Errors: Probability of randomly including ultra-rich in a small survey is low.
  • Surveys largely capture the middle-income majority. But most inequality is driven by the top 1%, who are missing from survey samples.

Way Forward

  • Shift from a purely consumption-based approach to include income-based inequality measures, aligning with global standards.
  • Combine household survey data with income tax data to better capture top incomes and reduce underestimation.
  • Use Alternative Indicators like Palma Ratio. Palma Ratio measures the ratio of the richest 10% of the population’s share of national income divided by the poorest 40% 's share. 

India-US Agricultural Tariff Tussle

Context: The US is pressuring India to reduce agricultural tariffs to boost its farm exports. India is resisting due to concerns over food security, MSP, and unfair US subsidies.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Challenges in India-US trade relations; WTO subsidy norms and their impact on Indian agriculture

Contentious issues in India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement

One of the most contentious issues in the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) is the US government’s and the US agri-lobbies’ pressure on India to open its agriculture market. They are pushing India: 

  • To lower high tariffs on key agri-products like Rice and Maize in order to enable US agri-business to significantly expand their presence in India.
  • To remove restrictions on genetically modified (GM) corn.
  • Allow imports of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), a byproduct of ethanol production.
  • Ease limits on Ethanol imports.

What benefits will the US gain?

Through tariff reduction and access to India’s markets, estimated benefits annually: 

  • $235 million/year if India removes restrictions on GM corn.
  • $434 million/year if the US corn is used for sustainable aviation fuel in India.
  • $137.5 million in 5 years if India allows imports of DDGS. 
  • The US would benefit from increased soy oil exports.

Why Is India not Agreeing?

India has resisted tariff reduction due to several concerns, all centered around protecting its agricultural sovereignty and food security:

  • Livelihood uncertainties for Farmers: Opening India’s agriculture to imports would create livelihood uncertainties for farming communities and pose a serious threat to its food security.
  • Unfair competition from the US subsidies:
    • The US’ farm subsidies have consistently increased over the past two decades- from $61 billion in 1995 to $215 billion in 2022. The US provides over $200 billion annually in farm subsidies, enabling its agri-businesses to export (dump) at prices below production cost. 
    • If India removes tariff protections, Indian farmers without such subsidy levels would be unable to compete, leading to market distortions.
  • Flawed WTO Subsidy Assessment: The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) uses a flawed methodology that compares current MSP with international prices from 1986-88, thus, inflating India’s subsidy levels unfairly.

If India yields to pressure and removes or reduces MSP, distressed farmers may abandon the production of critical food crops.

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Way Forward

India must: 

  • Refuse to reduce tariffs on key commodities unless the US agrees to significantly reduce its farm subsidies.
  • Continue to challenge the WTO’s flawed subsidy calculation methodology, pushing for inflation-adjusted or updated international reference prices.
  • Maintain its strong negotiating position in the WTO and BTA to prevent external pressure from undermining national interests.
  • Assert that India’s subsidies serve developmental goals, unlike the US, which uses subsidies to dominate export markets. 

Starlink gets clearance to offer Satellite Internet Services in India

Context: Starlink has received regulatory clearance from IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) to launch its satellite-based internet services in India. Starlink becomes the third company to receive approval for satellite communication (satcom) services, after OneWeb and Reliance Jio. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about Starlink Project.

Mains: Space Internet. 

Starlink Project

  • Starlink is the name of a satellite network developed by the private spaceflight company SpaceX to provide high-speed internet to remote locations.
  • Location: Starlink satellites are placed in an altitude range between 350 km-1200 km in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
  • Lifespan: One satellite has a lifespan of approximately five years. 
  • Constellation:
    • As of March 2024, the constellation consists of over 7000 satellites.  
    • SpaceX plans to have ~42,000 satellites in its megaconstellation.
  • Key features:
    • Starlink utilises an automated collision avoidance system to manoeuvre the satellites to avoid crashing into other satellites in space. 
    • Satellites have an advanced end-of-life mechanism and ION propulsion system with argon thrusters. The satellites upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, disintegrate completely and burn (with no chance of any piece hitting the ground).
GEO MEO LEO

How is Starlink different?

 1. Terrestrial broadband services: 

  • Terrestrial telecom services rely on:
    • Fibre-optic cables
    • Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL)
    • Cellular towers
  • Limitations: These infrastructures are limited to urban and suburban areas, where it is feasible to install physical network infrastructure.
  • Starlink operates using LEO satellite technology, which allows it to provide internet access in areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is impractical/uneconomical to deploy—such as remote villages, mountainous regions, and offshore locations.

2. Conventional Internet Services: 

  • Traditionally, internet services via satellite have relied on high-Earth orbit (HEO) or geostationary orbit satellites, positioned over 30,000 km above sea level. 
  • LEO satellite constellations orbit the Earth at a much lower altitude—typically 200 km-2000 km.

How does Starlink work?

  • Starlink offers internet connectivity via a network of LEO satellites from space directly to the devices.
    • Users require a Starlink dish and router, which communicate with the satellites orbiting Earth.
    • The dish automatically aligns with the closest Starlink satellite cluster, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.
  • Starlink is designed for fixed-location use, but with additional hardware, it can also support internet access in moving vehicles, boats, and aircraft.
Starlink

Read More: What is Satellite Internet? 

Benefits of LEO Internet Services: 

  • Lower latency:
    • LEO satellites, being closer to Earth, reduce signal travel time, resulting in faster and more responsive connectivity.
    • In contrast, signals from geostationary satellites must travel much farther, leading to delays and slower speeds. 
  • Better efficiency: Shorter distance means lower signal loss and more reliable communication with lower power requirements and smaller antennas.

Challenges of LEO satellites: 

  • Limited coverage per satellite: Since LEO satellites orbit closer to Earth, each one covers a smaller area, requiring a larger constellation to provide global coverage.
  • Higher operational costs: Maintaining a network of fast-moving satellites requires extensive ground infrastructure, making it more expensive to deploy and operate compared to geostationary satellites. 

What are the benefits of Starlink?

  • Deliver internet service in the remotest places, and help in addressing the digital divide among urban and rural regions.
  • Offer lower latency (25-50 ms) compared to traditional geostationary satellite internet (600+ ms), making it ideal for video conferencing, online gaming, and HD streaming. 
  • Can be utilised by commercial fishing shippers, merchant vessels, off-shore oil drilling stations, deep sea research workers and solo sea voyagers to connect with the internet. 
  • Useful during natural disasters such as tsunamis, cyclones or earthquakes that can destroy physical infrastructure such as telecom towers.

What are the drawbacks of Starlink?

  • High cost: LEO-based satellite services are expensive to deploy and operate, which could lead to premium pricing and limited data plans for consumers. Based on current expectations, Starlink’s price is almost 10-14 times higher than India’s major broadband providers.
image 128
  • Scalability concerns: While Starlink can offer speeds up to 200-250 Mbps, capacity could be an issue considering the limited number of satellites hovering around India. Expanding Starlink's network to accommodate more users without compromising performance remains a challenge.
  • Higher latency in urban areas: Compared to terrestrial broadband, Starlink may experience higher latency and lower capacity in densely populated areas, making it less competitive in cities where fibre-optic networks dominate.
  • Weather interference: Satellite signals require a clear line of sight and can be disrupted by weather conditions like heavy rain or storms. 
  • Privacy concerns: Lack of clarity on user privacy as Starlink operates under US jurisdiction. The data is routed through foreign satellites which has potential for commercial exploitation.

Latest Developments

  • Centre has asked SpaceX to:
    • set up a control centre in India to enable suspension or shutdown of communications services in sensitive and troubled areas (whenever required) to maintain law and order.
    • allow call interceptions by law-enforcement agencies through official channels when the need arises. 
  • Starlink and TRAI: 
    • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and SpaceX are negotiating satellite spectrum pricing and spectrum duration. TRAI has proposed a five-year period for spectrum allocation, whereas Starlink is advocating for a 20-year licence.
    • TRAI is likely to recommend Starlink to initially focus on providing services in mobile dark areas (regions where terrestrial networks are unavailable). 

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