Amazon Leo has deployed nearly 400 satellites in low earth orbit as part of its global satellite broadband expansion strategy. According to reports from PTI, Chris Hofer, Head of International Spectrum Management and Strategy at Amazon Leo, revealed the company's rapid progress at the IAFI's Space Policy Conference 2026. The company is currently manufacturing over 15 satellites per week, demonstrating significant production capacity to support its global connectivity mission. Hofer noted that "we can't get rockets up fast enough" and expressed satisfaction with the progress from when the project was "literally a piece of paper" back in 2019. The initiative is part of Amazon's broader satellite internet programme, previously known as Project Kuiper and now operating under the Amazon LEO brand. As Hofer emphasized, "Amazon Leo's mission and goal is to connect the unconnected and the unserved."
Amazon Leo has invested more than $10 billion to build its global LEO satellite network, which began satellite deployment in April 2025. As reported by PTI, the company is simultaneously expanding its ground infrastructure and customer terminals to support commercial operations worldwide. LEO satellites operate at altitudes of up to around 2,000 kilometres above the Earth, significantly closer than geostationary satellites, enabling lower latency and more reliable broadband connectivity, particularly in remote and underserved areas. Alongside Amazon Leo, Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and SES-backed Jio Space Fibre are positioning themselves to tap the country's underserved broadband market. The network is designed to provide broadband connectivity to communities beyond the reach of traditional fibre and mobile infrastructure.
India has been identified as a key market for Amazon Leo's satellite broadband services due to its digital-oriented administration and significant potential for internet expansion. According to PTI, Hofer described India as having a highly digital-oriented administration and noted the presence of unconnected populations that could benefit from competitive broadband services. The company views India as one of the most promising markets for satellite broadband, citing the country's digital transformation and the need to improve connectivity in regions where traditional internet infrastructure remains limited. Hofer said the company believes satellite services can help bridge connectivity gaps while increasing competition in the broadband market. Amazon Leo is awaiting a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) before launching commercial services in India. India is rapidly becoming a key battleground in the satellite broadband race, with 3.6 billion users still lacking reliable Internet access and global players investing in space-based connectivity to boost digital inclusion.
Looking beyond broadband, Amazon Leo is preparing to enter the direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communications market following its proposed acquisition of Globalstar. As reported by PTI, the company plans to launch satellite-based voice, messaging and data services directly to smartphones from 2028. It intends to partner with mobile operators globally while continuing to support existing satellite connectivity features on Apple devices and collaborate with Apple on future satellite-enabled services. In its submission to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the proliferation of public Wi-Fi networks, the company also urged the regulator to recognise satellite broadband as an eligible backhaul technology under the Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework. Project Kuiper is competing with rivals including SpaceX's Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb to build large LEO constellations capable of delivering high-speed internet services globally.
