{"id":64506,"date":"2026-01-17T17:39:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T12:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=64506"},"modified":"2026-01-18T00:32:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T19:02:43","slug":"subsea-cable-diversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/17-01-2026\/subsea-cable-diversity","title":{"rendered":"Improving Diversity of Subsea Cables"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <\/strong><strong>GS3\/ Science and Technology; Infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/04-04-2025\/undersea-cables\">Submarine cable networks<\/a> are constantly expanding, evolving, and being reconfigured to meet the exponential growth in data demands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/09-09-2025\/submarine-cables\"><strong>Submarine Cable Networks<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Subsea cables <\/strong>(<em>aka<\/em><strong>submarine communications cables)<\/strong> are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/09-09-2025\/submarine-cables\"><strong>fiber-optic cables<\/strong><\/a> laid on the ocean floor to<strong> carry digital data between continents.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They consist of optical fibers, copper or aluminum sheathing, steel wire armor, and polyethylene coating.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These cables form the <strong>core infrastructure of the global Internet<\/strong>, transmitting more than <strong>99% of international digital communication<\/strong> including Internet, phone, and financial transactions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global Subsea Network<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The world hosts <strong>over 550 active and planned subsea cable systems<\/strong>, spanning more than <strong>1.5 million kilometers<\/strong>, enough to circle the Earth nearly 40 times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They carry more than <strong>6,400 Terabits per second (TBPS)<\/strong> of global digital information, and they remain <strong>faster, cheaper, and more reliable<\/strong> for high-volume data transfer despite the rise of satellites.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At intervals of 50\u2013100 km, <strong>repeater stations (amplifiers)<\/strong> boost the optical signal to maintain speed and integrity over long distances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major global cable systems include:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SEA-ME-WE 6<\/strong> (Southeast Asia\u2013Middle East\u2013Western Europe)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marea<\/strong> (US to Spain, backed by Microsoft and Meta)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dunant<\/strong> (US.to France, built by Google)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Equiano<\/strong> (Portugal to South Africa, by Google)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2Africa<\/strong> <strong>Project <\/strong>(Africa\u2019s largest cable system, by Meta and partners)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Subsea Cables and India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India is a major hub in the global subsea cable network, with <strong>18 operational systems<\/strong> and <strong>four more in development<\/strong>. The primary <strong>Cable Landing Stations (CLS)<\/strong> are located in <strong>Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Key upcoming developments include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Visakhapatnam Open CLS<\/strong>, a <strong>carrier-neutral<\/strong> landing station being developed as a future regional hub.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Island CLS expansion<\/strong>, connecting <strong>Andaman &amp; Nicobar<\/strong> and <strong>Lakshadweep<\/strong> to the mainland through <strong>BSNL\u2019s local loop networks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These initiatives aim to improve <strong>redundancy<\/strong>, <strong>resilience<\/strong>, and <strong>network diversity<\/strong> for India\u2019s rapidly expanding digital economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Subsea Cables Matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Economic Backbone:<\/strong> Every international digital service, from banking to cloud storage depends on subsea connectivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Latency Advantage<\/strong>: Optical fiber cables transmit data faster and with lower delay than satellites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security and Resilience:<\/strong> Redundant routes and diverse CLS locations reduce risks from natural or human-induced disruptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Strategy:<\/strong> Countries view subsea cables as <strong>critical information infrastructure<\/strong>, essential for digital sovereignty and defense.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges and Vulnerabilities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Concentration Risks: <\/strong>The concentration of global <strong>subsea (undersea) cable infrastructure<\/strong> in a small number of geographic chokepoints is a <strong>strategic vulnerability<\/strong> for the modern digital world.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their geographic clustering creates risks across <strong>digital sovereignty, economic resilience, and national security<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Key chokepoints include the <strong>Suez Canal \/ Red Sea corridor, Strait of Malacca, English Channel, and Cable Landing Clusters (CLS)<\/strong> in places like <strong>Singapore<\/strong>, <strong>Egypt<\/strong>, and <strong>Marseille.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A single physical disruption in these areas can affect <strong>dozens of countries simultaneously<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital Sovereignty At Risk:<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Digital sovereignty<\/strong> refers to a state\u2019s ability to control and protect its data, communications, and digital infrastructure. <strong>Key issues:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Foreign Ownership &amp; Control<\/strong>: Many cables are owned or operated by multinational consortia or large tech firms, limiting national oversight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jurisdictional Exposure<\/strong>: Data often transits through countries with different legal regimes, surveillance laws, or intelligence alliances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dependence Asymmetry<\/strong>: Smaller or developing nations rely heavily on infrastructure located in or controlled by a few hub states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CLS Vulnerabilities: <\/strong>Natural disasters, anchor drags, or deliberate sabotage at a single point can cause widespread disruptions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For digital economies like <strong>India and Australia<\/strong>, diversification of cable routes is essential for <strong>national security and economic stability<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Security Implications: <\/strong>These include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Espionage<\/strong>: Cables can be tapped for intelligence gathering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hybrid warfare<\/strong>: Damage to cables can occur in \u2018gray zone\u2019 conflicts\u2014below the threshold of open war.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Attribution difficulty<\/strong>: It is often unclear whether damage is accidental, criminal, or state-sponsored.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Military dependence<\/strong>: Armed forces rely heavily on civilian-owned cable networks for logistics and communications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Economic Vulnerabilities:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Single-point failures<\/strong>: Cable breaks (from anchors, earthquakes, or sabotage) can slow or sever connectivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Repair delays<\/strong>: Fixing cables can take weeks, especially in deep water or contested regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cascading effects<\/strong>: Even temporary latency spikes can disrupt stock exchanges, payment systems, and cross-border business operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Other concerns<\/strong> include <strong>natural hazards<\/strong> such as earthquakes or undersea landslides, a<strong>ccidental damage<\/strong> from fishing trawlers or ship anchors, and <strong>geopolitical risks<\/strong>, including sabotage or espionage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Cable Landing Stations (CLS)<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; CLS locations are being recognized as <strong>critical infrastructure w<\/strong>ith the increasing dependence on digital connectivity.<br>a. Countries worldwide are expanding their CLS networks to strengthen Internet resilience and reliability.<br><br><strong>Global Moves<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; Globally, about <strong>500,000 km of new subsea cables<\/strong> are planned, expected to add nearly <strong>20,000 TBPS <\/strong>of capacity in the coming years.<br>&#8211; Global trends include:<br>a. <strong>New regional routes<\/strong> avoiding congested chokepoints.<br>b. <strong>Open-access CLS models<\/strong> to democratize cable landing.<br>c. <strong>Public-private collaboration<\/strong> to secure and manage critical infrastructure.<br><strong>Environmental and sustainable installation practices<\/strong> to reduce ecological impact.<br><br>&#8211; <strong>Australia<\/strong> is diversifying beyond its main CLS hub in <strong>Sydney<\/strong>. Its external territories are being explored as new landing points to enhance resilience.<br>a. <strong>Christmas Island<\/strong>, located in the Indian Ocean, is set to become a <strong>major CLS hub<\/strong>, with <strong>Google planning four new cables<\/strong> and a connectivity hub there.<br><br><strong>CLS and India<\/strong><br><br>&#8211; <strong>Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)<\/strong> is spearheading efforts to connect the mainland with the <strong>Andaman &amp; Nicobar<\/strong> and <strong>Lakshadweep Islands<\/strong>, <strong>transforming them into potential CLS hubs <\/strong>for international connectivity.<br>&#8211; Simultaneously, <strong>Visakhapatnam<\/strong> is emerging as a <strong>strategic data centre hub<\/strong> and a proposed <strong>Open CLS location<\/strong> for global tech giants such as <strong>Meta, Google, and Amazon<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Policy and Security Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In India, the <strong>Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)<\/strong>, in its report on <strong><em>\u2018Licensing Framework and Regulatory Mechanism for Submarine Cable Landing\u2019<\/em><\/strong><strong>,<\/strong> recommended granting <strong>Critical Information Infrastructure<\/strong> status to subsea cables to enhance their protection.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The forthcoming <strong>National Telecommunications Policy 2025<\/strong> reiterates the same emphasis on security and resiliency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Similarly, Australia\u2019s <strong>Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)<\/strong> has established a <strong>Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre<\/strong> to promote regional collaboration and build technical capacity across the <strong>Indo-Pacific<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Building a Resilient Future: Diversity by Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Submarine cable systems are the <strong>lifelines of the digital economy<\/strong>, yet their security and resilience have long been underestimated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As the world becomes more dependent on seamless connectivity, <strong>India and Australia<\/strong> have an opportunity and a responsibility to lead in building <strong>redundant, secure, and diverse submarine networks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The principle of <strong>\u2018diversity by design\u2019<\/strong> needs to guide future cable deployments, ensuring that these vital conduits of digital communication continue to support the world\u2019s societies, economies, and security systems without interruption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> The growing concentration of global subsea cable infrastructure in a few geographic chokepoints poses risks to digital sovereignty, economic resilience, and national security. Comment.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindubusinessline.com\/opinion\/improving-diversity-of-subsea-cables\/article70506154.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: BL<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Daily-Editorial-Analysis-17-01-2026.pdf\"><strong>Download PDF<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Published on:<\/strong> 17 January, 2026<\/p>\n<p>Submarine cable networks are constantly expanding, evolving, and being reconfigured to meet the exponential growth in data demands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Editorial-Analysis-900-600-15.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64506"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64534,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64506\/revisions\/64534"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}