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Respected Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji,
At the outset, my respectful compliments on the monumental progress of the
BharatNet programme, one of the largest rural broadband initiatives in the
world. Under Phase I and Phase II combined, over 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats
are already service-ready with high-speed broadband connectivity through
extensive optical fibre cabling and last-mile links, bringing digital opportunities to
millions of rural citizens.India Brand Equity Foundation
BharatNet’s mission to connect all Gram Panchayats (initially estimated at
approximately 2.5 lakh) with broadband access is a cornerstone of Digital India,
empowering education, e-governance, healthcare, and commerce in rural
India.Press Information Bureau
However, significant geographical challenges persist, especially in remote,
difficult-terrain and underserved pockets where traditional fibre rollout is
slow and cost-intensive. In many such areas, delays in physical OFC deployment
continue to limit broadband penetration despite commendable progress under
BharatNet.Indiaspend
🔶 Proposal:
Adopt Project Taara’s Free-Space Optical Broadband Technology
I propose that the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of
Electronics & IT consider integrating Project Taara’s free-space optical
communication (FSOC) technology as a complementary connectivity solution
for BharatNet Phase II and beyond.
Project Taara — now an independent company spun out of Alphabet’s X labs —
uses laser-based light beams to transmit high-speed data over distances up to
20 km with fibre-like speeds (up to 20 Gbps) without the need for digging
trenches or laying conventional optical fibre cables.Wikipedia
Taara’s Lightbridge technology has already demonstrated compelling advantages
in diverse global deployments, including India and Africa:
No civil works required — light beams propagate over line-of-sight,
avoiding the cost, time, and terrain challenges associated with trenching
fibre cables.Futura
Fibre-comparable speeds — reliable broadband speeds up to 20 Gbps over
air, with lower latency and strong stability.taaraconnect.com
Rapid deployability — terminals can be erected in hours, enabling urgent
broadband expansion where fibre rollout is slow or impractical.Wikipedia
🔶 Strategic Advantages Over Satellite Alternatives
While satellite Internet services like Starlink offer coverage, they rely on radio
spectrum and orbiting hardware, with inherent latency, bandwidth sharing and
regulatory costs. Taara’s light-based links operate over optical paths, mitigating
radio frequency congestion and eliminating spectrum auctions — enabling
deterministic, affordable broadband for rural backhaul and cluster networks as
BharatNet rolls out.Wikipedia
🔶 How Taara Can Support BharatNet Phase II and 2.0 Vision
The current BharatNet architecture focuses on:
Optical fibre backbone to Gram Panchayats
Middle-mile and last-mile connectivity via fibre, radio and satellite links
Satellite and wireless where fibre is impracticalPress Information Bureau
In many of these edge cases — rivers, valleys, thick forest belts, and
geographically challenging clusters — Taara’s free-space optical bridges can
provide cost-effective, rapid, and high-capacity links that extend the fibre
backbone wherever difficult terrain prohibits crawl-pace rollout.
This proposal suggestion is fully aligned with the Government’s National
Broadband Mission 2.0 goals of enhancing broadband reach, strengthening
connectivity to institutions and villages, and improving speeds to 100 Mbps and
beyond for rural anchor institutions by 2030.Wikipedia
🔶 Operational Path Forward (Suggested)
Pilot Deployment: Select 20–30 underserved blocks across remote terrains
for Taara Lightbridge integration.
Performance Validation: Joint monitoring by Bharat Broadband Network
Ltd (BBNL), MeitY, and Taara technical teams.
Hybrid Connectivity Model: Use Lightbridge as a middle-mile supplement
to BharatNet’s OFC where trenching costs are high.
Capacity Building: Train BharatNet local partners and BNUs in installation
and servicing of FSOC terminals.
🔶 Conclusion
Project Taara’s free-space optical technology offers a practical, cost-efficient
and high-impact enhancement to BharatNet’s mission — extending the
benefits of broadband to the hardest-to-reach communities and accelerating rural
digital inclusion in line with national imperatives.
I would be honoured if you would kindly consider this proposal and, if deemed
useful, initiate a formal feasibility evaluation of incorporating FSOC technology
into BharatNet Phase II and future broadband expansion plans.
With respectful regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.HemenParekh.ai | www.IndiaAGI.ai | www.My-Teacher.in
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