India may be the world’s fifth-largest economy and home to one of the largest internet user bases, but according to Wifi Dabba CEO Karam Lakshman, the country still faces a major connectivity deficit. In comments highlighted by Bitcoin.com News, Lakshman argued that Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) could offer a practical framework for expanding internet access, particularly in areas that traditional operators have underserved.
His argument centers on a simple imbalance: India has scale, digital ambition, and a massive population, yet fixed broadband penetration remains low compared with other major economies. Lakshman believes this gap creates the ideal conditions for a decentralized infrastructure model that uses blockchain-based coordination and incentives to accelerate deployment.
Why India Stands Out as a DePIN Test Case
Lakshman described India as a compelling market for decentralized internet infrastructure because the country combines massive demand with persistent gaps in access. He said that nearly half of India’s 1.4 billion people still do not have internet access. While 4G and 5G networks continue to expand, he stressed that fixed broadband remains essential for closing coverage gaps, especially in rural and suburban areas that large telecom operators often deprioritize.
To illustrate the scale of the shortfall, Lakshman compared India’s fixed broadband base with that of other major economies. According to the figures he cited, China has 636 million subscriptions, the United States has 127 million, and India has just over 30 million. In his view, that disparity is not just a telecom statistic; it is directly tied to a country’s digital progress and broader economic growth.
That is why he sees India as more than just a large market. He sees it as a proving ground. If decentralized infrastructure can work in India—at scale, under competitive pressure, and across varied geography—it could provide a replicable model for many other developing countries facing similar challenges.
How DePIN Works in Infrastructure Buildout
Lakshman framed DePIN as a model that enables the tokenization of real-world assets used to build essential infrastructure. These assets can include communications networks, weather monitoring systems, compute infrastructure, and other physical systems that typically require substantial upfront capital.
Under traditional models, he said, the cost of creating, maintaining, and deploying infrastructure is so high that control tends to remain concentrated in the hands of a few large players. DePIN, by contrast, distributes participation more broadly. People or entities can contribute in different ways—by deploying hardware, validating parts of the network, or providing support services—and receive rewards based on those contributions.
The attraction of this structure, according to Lakshman, is that it can mobilize capital and participation at a much wider level than legacy infrastructure models. In theory, it also aligns incentives so that network growth is not driven only by a central operator, but by a broader ecosystem of contributors.
The Role of Blockchain and Web3
A central part of Lakshman’s thesis is that blockchain and Web3 components are not optional add-ons to this model; they are foundational to how DePIN operates. He argued that decentralized networks need transparent coordination mechanisms, especially when multiple users and operators are involved.
In his explanation, blockchain helps create a transparent network structure in which pooled resources can be deployed where they are needed most. It also supports incentive systems for operators and contributors, potentially reducing service costs for end users while encouraging continued expansion of the network.
Lakshman suggested that this shared-resource model can create a kind of flywheel effect: more contributors help expand infrastructure, wider infrastructure access creates greater utility, and greater utility attracts more participants. In his view, this dynamic would be difficult to achieve through conventional centralized deployment models alone.
Beyond Connectivity: A Broader Infrastructure Opportunity
Although the interview focused heavily on internet access, Lakshman emphasized that DePIN is not limited to broadband or wireless connectivity. He described it as a model that could function as a high-growth platform for infrastructure in general, particularly in places where major systems are still underdeveloped.
He pointed to sectors such as communications, mobility, and compute as examples of where decentralized infrastructure could potentially gain traction. The broader claim is that developing economies often offer a kind of “greenfield” environment, where infrastructure is still in its early stages and markets are less saturated than in developed countries.
That matters because, in his view, DePIN performs best where there are real unmet needs rather than mature incumbents defending established networks. He argued that developing countries need affordable, scalable infrastructure to support growth, and that decentralized approaches may be especially well-suited to those conditions.
Wifi Dabba’s Position and Expansion Plans
Lakshman also used the discussion to outline how Wifi Dabba sees its own future in India. As the company’s network grows, he said it sees opportunities for vertical integration that go beyond basic connectivity. These could include cloud services and financial services as value-added offerings layered on top of network access.
The strategy, as he described it, is not only to increase revenue diversification but also to improve the overall experience for both customers and network operators. That suggests Wifi Dabba views connectivity as the foundation of a broader service stack rather than a standalone business line.
He also noted that Dabba has been active in the market for several years and has worked with organizations including Google and the Indian government on wifi-related initiatives. While the interview did not provide fresh operational metrics, the reference helps position the company as an existing participant in India’s connectivity landscape rather than a purely conceptual advocate of DePIN.
Why the Developing World May Lead the Next DePIN Wave
One of Lakshman’s strongest claims was that the next major DePIN success story is likely to emerge from the developing world. His reasoning is straightforward: this is where infrastructure gaps are largest, where traditional models have left clear shortcomings, and where solving practical problems can have the greatest impact on daily life.
In developed economies, much of the major infrastructure is already built and markets are often saturated. In developing economies, however, there is still significant room to deploy communications, mobility, and compute infrastructure in ways that directly support economic development. For proponents of decentralized systems, that creates a more natural environment for adoption.
From Lakshman’s perspective, India is therefore not just another telecom battleground. It is a live test of whether blockchain-enabled incentive networks can support real-world infrastructure at meaningful scale. If successful, the model could be adapted to countries that face the same combination of high demand, low fixed broadband penetration, and uneven incumbent coverage.
A Vision, Not Yet a Universal Verdict
At the same time, Lakshman’s comments should be understood as the perspective of an industry operator advocating for a specific model. The interview presents a clear case for DePIN as a tool for expanding affordable and transparent infrastructure, but it does not claim that all implementation challenges have already been solved.
What it does offer is a concise thesis: developing countries need faster, cheaper, and more inclusive ways to build infrastructure, and decentralized physical networks may be one route to achieving that. In markets like India—where digital demand is enormous but access gaps remain stubborn—this argument is likely to gain continued attention.
Whether DePIN ultimately fulfills that promise at national scale remains to be seen. But Lakshman’s message is clear: where traditional deployment models move too slowly or leave too many people behind, decentralized infrastructure deserves serious consideration.