Editorial 1: The other space race — the geopolitics of satellite net

Context

It’s unclear if satellite Internet will connect everyone or just widen the digital gap.

Introduction

Some parts of India still lack fiber optic cables and have few cell towers. SpaceX teaming up with Airtel and Jio to expand Starlink could change how people see connectivity, national control, and digital economic power.

Economic Benefits for All

• The deal is not a zero-sum game; both sides benefit.
• Airtel & Jio:
  • Can provide high-speed Internet to remote areas without investing in expensive terrestrial infrastructure.
• SpaceX:
  • Gains access to a huge market in India.
  • Navigates India’s regulations by partnering with local companies.

Beyond Business: Geopolitical Implications

• Telecommunications & National Security:
  • Communications infrastructure is closely linked to sovereignty and security.
  • Starlink operates 550 km above Earth, making control over it even more critical.
• Global Digital Influence Battle:
  • U.S. vs. China: Starlink’s dominance could give the U.S. a strategic advantage, while China is developing its GuoWang satellite network.
  • India’s Choice:
    • Could have waited for a domestic alternative.
    • Could have partnered with China or another country.
    • Instead, chose Starlink, aligning with a democratic rather than an authoritarian bloc.

Monopoly Concerns in Satellite Internet

• Starlink’s Dominance:
  • Operates around 7,000 satellites, far ahead of competitors.
• Competitors:

Company	Satellites in Orbit	Status
Starlink (SpaceX)	~7,000	Market leader
OneWeb	< 650	Distant second
Amazon’s Project Kuiper	Very few	Early stage

• Market Risks:
  • Monopolistic trends lead to concerns about competition, pricing, and dependency.
  • Private companies gaining nation-state power:
    • Example: SpaceX cut Starlink access to Ukraine during military operations in 2022.

Economic value versus geopolitical control

Satellite Internet can be categorized based on economic value and geopolitical control, leading to four key scenarios:

1. Digital Sovereignty (High Economic Value, High Geopolitical Control)

• Nations achieve both profitable telecommunications and strategic independence.
• Example:China’s GuoWang constellation
  • State-controlled satellite system.
  • Designed to ensure economic benefits while maintaining complete national control.
  • Minimizes reliance on foreign companies.

2. Market Dominance (High Economic Value, Low Geopolitical Control)

• A highly profitable system, but control remains outside the host nation’s hands.
• Example:Starlink (SpaceX)
  • Offers strong commercial potential worldwide.
  • Host countries lack full control, even when channeled through local telecom providers like Airtel & Jio.
  • Regulatory workarounds may exist, but the core control stays with Starlink.
  • Raises concerns over foreign influence in critical infrastructure.

3. Strategic Asset (Low Economic Value, High Geopolitical Control)

• Satellites provide strategic value, but lack commercial viability.
• Example:India’s indigenous satellites
  • Important for national security but not commercially competitive.
  • Limited leverage power in the global market.
  • Risk of becoming economically unsustainable over time.

4. Marginal Presence (Low Economic Value, Low Geopolitical Control)

• Emerging players with developing business models and limited strategic influence.
• Example:Amazon’s Project Kuiper
  • Still in the early stages of development.
  • Unclear economic model and minimal geopolitical impact.
  • Future growth potential, but currently not a major player.

Framework: Economic vs. Geopolitical Control

Scenario	Economic Value	Geopolitical Control	Example	Key Characteristics
Digital Sovereignty	High	High	China’s GuoWang	– State-controlled system. – Balances profitability with full national control. – Limits foreign influence.
Market Dominance	High	Low	Starlink (SpaceX)	– Profitable but foreign-controlled. – Local partnerships help with regulatory approvalbut not actual control. – Raises national security concerns.
Strategic Asset	Low	High	India’s indigenous satellites	– Strong security value, weak commercial model. – Limited market leverage. – Risk of economic unsustainability.
Marginal Presence	Low	Low	Amazon’s Project Kuiper	– Emerging, but not yet influential. – Unclear economic future. – May grow or remain a niche player.

 

Towards digital sovereignty for India

1. Long-Term Strategic Considerations

• Key Question: Is India’s current approach to satellite Internet a long-term strategy or just a temporary solution?
• ISRO’s Goal: Developing indigenous satellite capabilities to achieve Digital Sovereignty.
• Challenges:
  • Requires significant investment and time.
  • Strategic trade-offs exist between self-reliance and faster deployment through foreign partnerships.

2. The Airtel & Jio Partnership Model

• Creates a buffer that helps maintain some level of sovereignty.
• Possible safeguards for India’s interests:
  • Technology transfer provisions to boost domestic capabilities.
  • Local data storage requirements to protect national security.
  • Multiple domestic partnerships to prevent monopolistic control.
• Effectiveness Debate: While these measures provide some leverage, their actual impact on controlling Starlink’s influence is debatable.

3. The Absence of BSNL: A Missed Opportunity?

• BSNL’s Role:
  • As a state-owned enterprise, BSNL could have provided better government oversight.
  • Has a strong rural presence, expanding Starlink’s potential reach.
• Strategic Benefits of BSNL’s Involvement:
  • Ensures greater government control over critical technology.
  • Reduces India’s strategic dependency on foreign players.
• Challenges with BSNL:
  • Financial struggles have limited its ability to take part in such partnerships.
  • Not involving BSNL represents a lost opportunity for stronger domestic control.

Comparing India’s Satellite Internet Approaches

Approach	Key Advantage	Key Risk
Indigenous (ISRO-led)	Full Digital Sovereignty	Requires high investment & time
Airtel & Jio Partnership	Faster deployment & some sovereignty	Starlink still controls key technology
BSNL Involvement	More government oversight & rural reach	Financial instability limits role

 

A technology evolution, challenges

• Can these partnerships create a model for global Internet governance with geopolitical implications?
• Developing nations must choose between:
  • American systems (e.g., Starlink)
  • Chinese systems (e.g., GuoWang)
  • Indigenous satellite systems
• India’s Starlink hybrid model attempts to balance:
  • Technological pragmatism (adopting the best available tech).
  • Strategic autonomy (maintaining some national control).

Benefits for SpaceX & Elon Musk

• Commercial opportunities in a large and growing market.
• Political legitimacy by addressing Indian regulatory concerns.
• Pattern of technological evolution:
  • From disruption to government partnerships (similar to past revolutions in railroads & telecom).

Challenges in Achieving Universal Connectivity

• Key Question: Will satellite Internet truly connect everyone, or just reinforce digital inequalities?
• Affordability Concerns:
  • High costs could price out rural populations.
  • Heavy government subsidies might be needed, making it financially unsustainable.
• Possible Solutions:
  • Tiered pricing models to cater to different income levels.
  • Package deals offering affordable access to rural areas.
  • “Bottom of the Pyramid” innovations to create low-cost, high-value products.

Governance Challenges in Satellite Internet

Challenge	Key Concern	Possible Solution
Orbital Debris	Risk of overcrowding & collisions	International cooperation for space debris management
Space Traffic Control	Unregulated satellite movement	Global coordination on orbital paths & regulations
Geopolitical Competition	Nations vying for digital control	Multilateral agreements for fair Internet access
Market Monopoly	Starlink’s dominance over competitors	Policies ensuring market competition

Conclusion

Satellites will become just as important as land-based infrastructure. The challenge for everyone—governments, businesses, and people—is to take advantage of better connectivity while still keeping control over their own data and decisions.

Editorial 2: Bangladesh events, a reflection of South Asia’s minorities

Context

Improving the situation of religious minorities in South Asia is important for the region’s peace and progress.

Introduction

The political changes in Bangladesh, especially the violence against Hindus after Sheikh Hasina was removed in August 2024, have raised concerns about the safety of religious minorities. Looking at the broader situation, the condition of religious minorities in South Asia is now at its worst since Partition, including Indian Muslims and minorities in Pakistan. In the past, religious minorities in India, especially Muslims, were in a better position than those in Pakistan and Bangladesh. But political trends in all three countries show a continuing decline.

Partition and Its Impact on Religious Minorities

• Partition of British India (1947) aimed to resolve Hindu-Muslim issues, but it left a lasting legacy of conflict.
• Instead of settling disputes, Partition became the biggest issue in the subcontinent, leading to ongoing political tensions.
• It created new socio-political groups, such as:
  • Mohajirs in Pakistan (migrants from India).
  • Bangladeshi refugees in India (migrants from East Pakistan).
• The Kashmir conflict is also a direct outcome of Partition.
• Minorities like Sikhs and Christians became involved in these tensions, making the minority question central to the region’s stability.
• The fate of religious minorities across South Asia is deeply connected and affects peace and progress in the region.

Post-Partition Leadership and the Minority Issue

• The movement of people across India-Pakistan’s new borders created a serious challenge for both governments.
• Indian leaders like Syama Prasad Mookerjee and B.C. Roy discussed the idea of mass population exchange between India and Pakistan.
• Sardar Patel’s Proposal:
  • Suggested taking land from East Pakistan to resettle Hindu refugees.
  • Planned military occupation of Khulna and Jessore in East Bengal.
• The Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact (1950):
  • Aimed to protect religious minorities and prevent war.
  • K.C. Neogy and Syama Prasad Mookerjee resigned in protest.

Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact and Its Consequences

Event	Purpose	Outcome
Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact (1950)	To protect minority rights and avoid war	Led to institutional changes but failed in the long run
MEA Branch Secretariat in Calcutta	To implement the Pact and oversee minority protection	Short-lived effort, unable to prevent long-term tensions
Dawn newspaper’s reaction	Called the Pact a “breath of fresh air”	Hopes for better relations but did not last
Post-Nehru era impact	Minority rights in Pakistan were neglected, especially Bengali Muslims	Led to Bangladesh’s formation in 1971
Two-nation theory’s final result	Initially created India and Pakistan	Eventually led to the creation of three nations (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)

India-Bangladesh Relations: Beyond Historical Ties

• India’s Role in Bangladesh’s Liberation
  • India played a key role in Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
  • However, the relationship today is not solely based on past gratitude.
• Concerns Over Hindus in Bangladesh
  • The current status of Hindus in Bangladesh has become a major issue in India-Bangladesh relations.
  • Ongoing debates focus on:
    • Is the violence against Hindus politically motivated?
    • Or does it signal a larger persecution trend?
• India’s Policy Approach: A Mistake?
  • Some believe India has made an error by over-relying on Sheikh Hasina’s family for diplomatic relations.
  • Critics argue that India has reduced its engagement with Bangladesh to a single political alliance, ignoring wider societal ties.
• Reframing the Hindu Issue as a Bilateral Concern
  • India is now presenting Hindu safety in Bangladesh as a bilateral matter, giving it a strategic advantagein diplomatic talks.
• Bangladesh’s Secularism: A Fragile Concept
  • Bangladesh’s secular identity has always been weak and contested.
  • There is no clear agreement among its competing ideological groups.
• The Need for a New Approach
  • India should shift its focus from a single political party or family to:
    • Building ties with the Bangladeshi people.
    • Strengthening relations with democratic institutions.
  • This approach would ensure a more stable and long-term partnership.

Interconnected Fate of Religious Minorities in South Asia

• Shared Challenges
  • The status of religious minorities in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is closely linked.
  • A new approach is needed to address their rights effectively.
• Lessons from the Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact
  • The restricted experiment of the Nehru-Liaquat Ali agreement offers valuable insights even today.
  • It demonstrates how bilateral cooperation can be attempted to protect minority rights.
• Revisiting Partition Discussions
  • The idea that people with a shared history could build a common future is not impossible.
  • Renewing dialogue on Partition could improve Hindu-Muslim understanding in South Asia.
• The Role of Secular Democracy
  • Minority rights are best protected in a secular democracy.
  • This calls for new initiatives in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to ensure inclusion and equality.

Comparative Outlook on Minority Rights in South Asia

Country	Current Challenges	Potential Solutions
India	Rising communal tensions, policy debates on minority protections	Strengthening secular institutions and inclusive policies
Pakistan	Legal and social discrimination against religious minorities	Ensuring legal safeguards and minority representation
Bangladesh	Political violence and targeted attacks on minorities	Reinforcing democratic principles and human rights laws

Conclusion

When Indian Hindus only speak up for Hindus in Bangladesh, and Muslims in Pakistan do the same for Muslims in India, it shows more loyalty to their own religious group than to protecting minority rights. This kind of politics strengthens majority dominance in both countries, creating an environment that can lead to hatred and violence.