Amazon Joins Elon Musk's SpaceX, Mukesh Ambani's Jio In Vying For A Piece Of India's Burgeoning Satellite Internet Market

This story was first published on the Benzinga India portal.

The e-commerce behemoth, Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, is making moves to enter India's rapidly growing satellite communications (satcom) market. Reports suggest that Amazon has sought approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) for its plan to introduce broadband-from-space services in India.

This move, if approved, would position Amazon alongside key players such as Elon Musk's Starlink, Bharti Airtel-backed Oneweb, and Reliance Industries' Jio Satellite in the Indian satcom sector. This aligns with India's 2023 Space Policy, which promotes private sector investment and allows foreign entities to offer satellite services, given they receive approval from IN-SPACe.

While OneWeb and Jio Satellite have already secured their GMPCS licenses, Starlink is still waiting for its approval. According to an ET report, Amazon is also expected to seek a similar license from the Department of Telecommunications.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) India Private Limited announced a strategic partnership with ISRO and IN-SPACe last month. Revealed by Amazon India, this partnership aims to provide space startups, research institutions, and students with advanced cloud technologies. This collaboration is set to support the growth and development of innovative solutions within the space sector.

Amazon's satcom aspirations extend beyond India. The company's website hints at a global broadband service, boasting speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to an impressive 1 Gbps. Insiders suggest that Amazon intends to synchronize its Indian launch with its global rollout.

Amazon's Project Kuiper, which plans for a constellation of over 3,000 satellites, sent two prototypes into orbit just last week. The project aims to commence services by the end of 2024.

With India's space economy predicted to reach $13 billion by 2025, global satcom heavyweights are keeping a close eye on developments in the region. 

Photo Courtesy: Sundry Photography On Shutterstock.com

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