India Boosts Global Connectivity with New Cables

Why in the news?

India is launching two submarine cable systems, IAX and IEX, enhancing digital connectivity to Asia and Europe while strengthening its role in undersea cable security and resilience.

"India Boosts Global Connectivity with New Cables"

India’s Expanding Undersea Cable Network:

  • Two new submarine cable systems, India Asia Xpress (IAX) and India Europe Xpress (IEX), will be launched in the next three months.
  • IAX connects Chennai and Mumbai to Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, while IEX links them to France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Djibouti.
  • Owned by Reliance Jio with investment from China Mobile, these systems span over 15,000 km, enhancing India’s global Internet connectivity.

Strategic and Geopolitical Impacts

  • The cables bolster India’s defense strategy, improving resilience against physical damage and cyberattacks.
  • Experts highlight India’s emergence as a significant maritime cable network player in the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea regions.
  • In March, disruptions to three submarine cables affected India’s bandwidth, but alternate routes and domestic data centers mitigated impacts.
  • Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal contributes to global discussions on cable resilience, reinforcing India’s proactive stance.

Regional Connectivity and Challenges

  • Northeast India’s connectivity relies on fiber laid along Power Grid Corporation of India’s transmission lines, ensuring “hundreds of gigabits” per second of bandwidth.
  • Bangladesh recently paused plans to sell bandwidth to Northeast India, though this has limited impact due to India’s existing infrastructure.
  • The expansion of undersea cables reflects India’s growing data usage and ambitions to strengthen digital infrastructure while ensuring uninterrupted services during disruptions.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times