“how the power would back get to earth”
A low power density microwave beam, tuned away from the strong water peaks. The reciever is a large array of small rectifying antennas (rectenna array).
If the beam wanders off, the low power density does not cause (much) damage.
It requires a large rectenna, but if you use a very concentrated beam, the consequences of a beam steering accident goes up. Rectennas are simpler than solar cells and can be worked into building structures.
Ambitious and forward-thinking. We’ve had shuttles for how long now? And what do we do with them?
If the beam wanders off, the low power density does not cause (much) damage
How much damage does it cause? Minor sunburn, toasted pop-tarts? Inquiring minds want to know.
The microwave beam as contemplated would pose no danger to people or animals; its total power would be spread over many, many square kilometers of surface, reducing the microwave flux at any given location within the footprint to a small amount. One simple method of easing people’s nervousness over this non-problem would be to build the rectenna at sea, the way we build offshore windpower platforms now. The buoy-sized receiving elements could be built cheaply on land and towed to their anchor positions, then connected by underea cables to form a large array.
Good on yer India.