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A US national and his companion were detained at the Srinagar International Airport on Sunday after a satellite phone was recovered from their luggage during routine screening.
According to official guidelines, travellers must obtain written permission from the Department of Telecommunications before carrying or using satellite communication devices in the country. (File Photo/X/@srinagarairport)The individuals were questioned by airport security and later handed over to the police for further investigation. The police later confirmed that one of the individuals, a US national whose bag the satellite phone was found in, had been arrested.
The use of satellite phones is prohibited in India without prior government approval. Devices such as Thuraya and Iridium phones are subject to strict regulation, and unauthorised possession can lead to detention, arrest, and seizure under the Indian Telegraph Act and other security rules.
According to official guidelines, travellers must obtain written permission from the Department of Telecommunications before carrying or using satellite communication devices in the country.
India enforces stringent telecom restrictions due to security concerns, and both foreign nationals and Indian citizens have faced action in the past for carrying satellite communicators.
A US-based ophthalmologist was stopped at Puducherry airport last May, after an Iridium satellite phone was found in her possession. She was prevented from boarding a flight to Hyderabad, and a police investigation was initiated.
Authorities have also reported previous detentions involving foreign nationals, including a Chinese citizen and a British executive, for carrying unauthorised satellite devices at airports and hotels across the country.
To curb such violations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed airlines operating flights to India in January last year to inform passengers about the ban through in-flight announcements, overseas offices and onboard publications.
Foreign governments have also taken note of the strict regulations around satellite phones in India. Travel advisories issued by the US and the UK warn citizens that carrying satellite phones or similar GPS devices into India could lead to hefty fines of up to ₹2 crore, confiscation of equipment, or arrest.