Amazon's satellite internet service, Amazon Leo, has formally approached India's Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), asking for satellite broadband to be recognised as a qualifying backhaul technology for public Wi-Fi deployments, including under the government's PM-WANI framework.
What Amazon Leo is asking for
In its response to TRAI's consultation paper on expanding public Wi-Fi, Amazon Leo argued that its low Earth orbit (LEO) network can be more cost-effective than fibre in thinly populated rural regions, and called for satellite backhaul to be more deeply integrated into BharatNet, India's rural broadband programme. This was first reported by Moneycontrol.
The company pointed out that while BharatNet fibre reaches Gram Panchayats, extending connectivity from there to individual villages and community centres remans slow and expensive.
Specific regulatory requests
Amazon Leo has asked for access to Digital Bharat Nidhi funds for satellite backhaul in areas without fibre, simplified authentication for satellite-enabled PM-WANI hotspots to help first-time internet users in rural areas, and regulatory access to key spectrum bands including Ka-band, Q/V-band and E-band.
The company has also requested simplified authentication protocols specifically for PM-WANI hotspots, the government's flagship programme for first-time internet users in rural India.
The bigger strategic play
Amazon Leo backed a market-driven approach in which the government ensures robust backhaul infrastructure while multiple technologies, including satellite, fibre and wireless, compete to serve it.
In effect, Amazon Leo is asking to become a government infrastructure partner, not merely a commercial competitor. By aligning with a national connectivity priority rather than competing directly for urban and enterprise subscribers, the company may be attempting to approach the regulatory process from a posture of public benefit rather than commercial ambition.
Where Amazon Leo stands
With 331 production satellites launched as of May 2026 and a broader commercial rollout planned for mid-2026, Amazon Leo is entering India's market at precisely the moment satellite broadband rules are being most aggressively rewritten.
As of June 2026, Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Jio-SES all hold licences to operate in India, but none has launched, making the regulatory landscape still very much in flux.
What this means for rural India
India's PM-WANI programme aims to expand affordable internet access to underserved communities through a network of public Wi-Fi hotspots. If TRAI accepts Amazon Leo's proposal, satellite backhaul could significantly accelerate coverage in areas where laying fibre remains economically unviable, a meaningful step in India's broader digital inclusion goals.
