[Answered] Assess the strategic significance of undersea cable networks for India’s digital economy and national security. Discuss the vulnerabilities of this infrastructure and suggest measures to ensure its resilience.

Introduction

Undersea cable networks form the backbone of the global digital infrastructure, transmitting over 90% of international data. For a digitally emerging nation like India, which aspires to be a $1 trillion digital economy by 2026 (MeitY Vision Document), these cables are not only critical for economic growth but also for national security. Despite their strategic significance, India’s cable infrastructure faces several vulnerabilities that need urgent redressal.

Strategic Significance

1. Digital Economy Enabler

• Undersea cables ensure low-latency, high-bandwidth international connectivity.
• Vital for sectors like IT services, fintech, e-commerce, and cloud computing that rely on uninterrupted global data flow.
• New systems like 2Africa Pearls (Meta & Airtel) and SEA-ME-WE-6 add up to 100 Tbps capacity, boosting digital bandwidth in India.

2. Critical Infrastructure for Governance

• Cables carry secure communications for government operations, financial transactions, and defense systems.
• Nearly $10 trillion in financial transactions flow through these cables globally (Goldman Sachs).

3. Strategic and Geopolitical Influence

• India’s geographic location offers potential to be a subsea cable hub between the East and West.
• Enhancing India’s control over cable routes increases data sovereignty and geopolitical leverage, especially in the Indo-Pacific.

Vulnerabilities

1. Overdependence on Few Landings Points

• 95% of India’s subsea cables land in a 6-km stretch in Versova, Mumbai.
• This clustering creates a single-point failure risk from sabotage, natural disasters, or accidents.

2. Geopolitical Risks

• Red Sea cable disruptions (e.g. 2024 incidents near Bab-el-Mandeb) affected ~25% of India’s internet traffic.
• Conflicts or piracy in key chokepoints can severely impact connectivity.

3. Regulatory Bottlenecks

• Around 51 permissions are needed to land a single cable in India, leading to deployment delays.
• Projects spend 80% of time on managing last-mile regulatory and territorial hurdles (Meta executive, 2024).

4. Lack of Indigenous Repair Capacity

• India lacks dedicated cable repair ships and depots, depending on foreign vessels with long clearance times.
• Frequent damage from fishing trawlers also highlights inadequate cable protection near shores.

Measures for Resilience

1. Diversify Landing Sites

• Establish new landing points in eastern and southern coasts to avoid overconcentration.
• Promote distributed cable architecture to mitigate regional outages.

2. Streamline Approvals

• Implement single-window clearance under a nodal authority (e.g., DoT or IN-SPACe-type model).
• Digitize and standardize permissions to reduce delays.

3. Strengthen Domestic Capabilities

• Invest in Indian-owned cable repair ships and storage depots.
• Mandate cable protection zones and monitoring systems to prevent accidental damage.

4. Geopolitical Strategy and Partnerships

• Collaborate with trusted partners through platforms like Quad and IPEF to secure global cable routes.
• Develop redundant routes bypassing conflict-prone chokepoints.

Conclusion

Undersea cables are a strategic digital lifeline for India’s economic and security interests. As India rises as a digital superpower, ensuring the resilience, autonomy, and security of its subsea cable networks is not just an infrastructure imperative, but a national strategic priority. A robust mix of policy reform, investment, and geopolitics is essential to safeguard this invisible yet vital infrastructure.