Will India’s undersea cable overhaul make it a global data powerhouse?

A number of new cable systems set to come online by 2025 are expected to quadruple the country’s data transmission capacity

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Undersea cables connect continents and form the foundation of modern digital infrastructure. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 12:00pm, 25 Dec 2024

With several advanced undersea cable systems poised to go live by 2025, India is positioning itself as a major player in global data infrastructure, bolstering its technological clout amid growing concerns over the security of these networks.

Multiple next-generation systems – including IAX, IEX, 2Africa Pearl, Blue Raman and MIST – are due to become operational by 2025, replacing ageing cables nearing the end of their 25-year lifespans.

These cables will connect different locations in India to over a dozen countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia via crucial sea routes.

Global tech giants Google and Meta, along with Indian powerhouses Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, are driving the expansion of these systems amid soaring demand for data services, the rise of artificial intelligence and a flourishing data centre market.

“These cable systems undoubtedly bolster India’s geopolitical play by creating ready-to-use information superhighways across multiple countries,” said Suvesh Chattopadhyaya, an independent telecom consultant and undersea cable industry veteran, told this Week in Asia

Undersea cables are fibre-optic lines laid on the ocean floor, connecting continents and forming the foundation of modern digital infrastructure. They are estimated to handle around US$10 trillion in financial transactions daily.