After Elon Musk’s Starlink, Jeff Bezos’s Project Kuiper aims for rapid launch in India’s satellite internet marker: Report

Amazon-supported Project Kuiper is pushing for quick regulatory clearance to launch its satellite internet services in India, intensifying rivalry in a market already eyed by Starlink.

Project Kuiper
After Elon Musk's Starlink, Jeff Bezos’s Project Kuiper aims for rapid launch in India’s satellite internet marker: Report

Amazon-supported Project Kuiper is pushing for quick regulatory clearance to launch its satellite internet services in India, intensifying rivalry in a market already eyed by Starlink. The company has recently approached the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), urging fast-tracking of a Letter of Intent (LoI) for a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license.

Kuiper’s application predates the LoI granted to Starlink. According to ETTelecom, citing several sources, “Similar to Starlink, Kuiper aims to deploy extensive satellite communication capacity in India, planning to establish 10 gateway stations and two key points of presence in Mumbai and Chennai.”

Project Kuiper is arguably Amazon’s most significant venture, directly competing with Starlink as well as international telecom giants such as AT&T and T-Mobile. The service is marketed as a critical solution for rural regions where internet access is limited or unavailable.

The initial satellite deployment has faced over a year’s delay—Amazon originally targeted early 2024 for the first launch. The company must meet a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deadline to have half of its 3,236 satellite constellation operational by mid-2026. Given the slow rollout, experts expect Amazon to request an extension.

The first 27 Kuiper satellites were successfully launched from Florida last month, marking the beginning of the delayed rollout of Amazon’s global internet-from-space network designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink.

Amazon plans to deploy a total of 3,236 low-Earth orbit satellites as part of Project Kuiper, a $10 billion initiative launched in 2019 aiming to provide broadband internet to consumers, businesses, and governments worldwide—customers that SpaceX has long targeted with its Starlink service.

Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet may soon launch in India

Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet may soon launch in India after receiving official clearance. The Department of Telecommunications has issued Starlink a Letter of Intent, contingent upon the company’s compliance with India’s updated licensing and security norms, according to government sources.

By entering the Indian market, SpaceX could tap into a lucrative opportunity. Industry analysts estimate that capturing even a small 1% share of India’s extensive broadband consumer market could generate close to $1 billion annually. Given the country’s massive population and growing internet demand, the financial upside is significant.

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This article was first uploaded on May fifteen, twenty twenty-five, at twenty-three minutes past eleven in the morning.
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