Undersea Cables: Pillars of Global Connectivity and India’s Digital Strategy

Undersea cables form the backbone of global internet connectivity, carrying over 95% of international data traffic. For aspirants preparing for competitive exams, understanding their technological, economic, and geopolitical significance—especially in the context of India’s growing digital economy—is essential. This summary highlights key aspects from the article, focusing on India’s role, challenges, and strategic imperatives in this critical infrastructure domain.

Key Points from the Article:

• Global Importance:
• • Undersea cables are vital for connecting the world’s internet networks, linking internet service providers and telecom operators across countries.
  • Each modern cable offers several hundred gigabits per second of capacity, supporting thousands of telecom users.
• India’s Cable Network:
• • India’s undersea cable network is expanding, with new systems like Airtel’s 2Africa Pearls (100 terabits per second capacity) and SEA-ME-WE-6 landing in Chennai and Mumbai in 2025.
  • India hosts 17 cable systems, with major hubs in Mumbai and Chennai; 95% of Mumbai’s subsea traffic lands in a 6-kilometer patch in Versova.
  • Domestic cable systems include the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) cable and the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands project, enhancing connectivity to remote regions.
• Capacity and Growth:
• • New cable activations in 2025 are expected to quadruple India’s data transmission capacity, supporting its digital economy, which contributes 12% to GDP (projected to reach 20% by 2026-27).
  • India’s telecom sector, with 1.2 billion users (944 million broadband), drives unprecedented data consumption.
• Challenges in Deployment:
• • Laying cables is a complex, multi-year process costing millions of dollars, with 80% of efforts focused on the 24 miles of territorial waters at each end.
  • Permissions and regulatory hurdles in India slow down cable landing and repair processes.
• Security and Maintenance Issues:
• • Fishing trawlers frequently damage cables, as highlighted by Bharti Airtel’s Rahul Vatts.
  • India lacks domestic subsea cable repair ships and storage depots, relying on foreign vessels with lengthy permission processes.
• Geopolitical and Resilience Concerns:
• • Experts like Aruna Sundararajan emphasize the need for more cables to handle India’s growing internet traffic and enhance web resilience.
  • India’s 1% share of global subsea cable landing stations is low, risking bandwidth loss (e.g., 25% loss in a Red Sea incident).
  • Threats in choke points like the Red Sea and Malacca Strait underscore the need for diversified routes.
• Strategic Recommendations:
• • Streamlining regulations and investing in domestic repair capabilities are critical to secure and expand India’s cable network.
  • Enhanced maritime cooperation with like-minded states could bolster subsea cable security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Key Terms:

• Subsea Cables: Fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor to transmit internet and telecom data globally.
• Digital Economy: Economic activities reliant on digital technologies, contributing significantly to GDP.
• Cable Landing Stations: Coastal facilities where undersea cables connect to terrestrial networks.
• Web Resilience: The ability of internet infrastructure to withstand disruptions and maintain connectivity.
• Territorial Waters: Coastal waters extending up to 12 nautical miles, under a country’s jurisdiction.
• Broadband Users: Individuals accessing high-speed internet, a key metric of digital penetration.
• Geopolitical Competition: Strategic rivalry among nations over control of critical infrastructure like undersea cables.

Link To The Original Article – https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/why-are-undersea-cables-important-explained/article69408007.ece