Eutelsat, Airtel extend OneWeb support for Sri Lanka relief

Eutelsat, working in partnership with Airtel, has extended its OneWeb Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity to support the Indian Army’s humanitarian relief operations in flood-affected areas of Sri Lanka. The deployment forms part of ongoing efforts to restore critical communications infrastructure in regions where severe flooding has caused widespread disruption.

The use of OneWeb’s high-speed, low-latency LEO satellite services has enabled the Indian Army to re-establish reliable communication links in locations where terrestrial networks have been damaged or rendered inoperable. This restored connectivity is playing an important role in coordinating relief activities and ensuring uninterrupted communication between personnel deployed on the ground and command centres.

A key application of the satellite connectivity has been in healthcare delivery. The network is facilitating round-the-clock telemedicine consultations with specialist medical teams, allowing the Army to provide timely medical support and emergency care to affected communities. This has helped ensure that critical health services remain accessible despite the breakdown of conventional communications infrastructure.

The initiative highlights the role of resilient satellite-based networks in disaster response scenarios, particularly in geographically challenging or infrastructure-poor environments. By providing rapid, dependable connectivity, LEO satellite systems can support operational continuity and enable essential services to function when traditional networks fail.

Commenting on the initiative, Neha Idnani, Regional Vice President for APAC at Eutelsat, stated that the company is supporting the Indian Army’s relief efforts through OneWeb LEO connectivity delivered in collaboration with Airtel. She noted the importance of secure and reliable communications in crisis situations, where maintaining connectivity can be critical to safeguarding lives and ensuring the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance.