In News:

India is expanding its digital infrastructure with the launch of two major undersea cable systems aimed at enhancing its Internet connectivity with Asia and Europe. The India Asia Xpress (IAX) and India Europe Xpress (IEX) are set to provide additional data links between India and these regions, supporting the growing demand for data usage. This also marks India’s increasing involvement in submarine cable resilience and security discussions.

Key Points:

• New Cable Systems:
  • India Asia Xpress (IAX): Connects Chennai and Mumbai with Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.
  • India Europe Xpress (IEX): Connects Chennai and Mumbai with France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Djibouti.
• Total Length: Both cables, together spanning over 15,000 kilometers, will expand India’s undersea cable network.
• Ownership and Investment:
  • Both cable systems are owned by Reliance Jio, with a strategic investment from China Mobile.
• Geopolitical Impact:
  • These expansions are a response to growing Internet traffic, as well as India's rising geopolitical ambitions. They help bolster India’s defense strategy, improving cable resilience against disruptions from cyberattacks or physical damages.
  • India’s active role in maritime cable network security is being closely watched, especially in key regions like the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea.
• Past Cable Disruptions:
  • In March, three cables connecting India to West Asia and Europe were disrupted, impacting Internet traffic. However, India’s alternate routing systems and data centers ensured services remained operational, highlighting the country’s resilience.
• International Role:
  • India’s role in submarine cable resilience is growing. Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal is part of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience, established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Impact on India’s Connectivity:

• Bangladesh's Role:
  • Plans to sell bandwidth from Bangladesh to Northeast India were recently put on hold. However, this does not significantly impact India as Northeast India already benefits from substantial fiber-optic connectivity through Power Grid Corporation of India’s transmission lines.

About Underwater Cables:

• What Are Undersea Cables?
  • Undersea cables are fiber-optic cables laid under the ocean to transmit data across vast distances at high speeds.
• New Cable Systems:
  • IAX: Connects India to Asia (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia).
  • IEX: Connects India to Europe (France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Djibouti).
• How They Work:
  • Fiber-optic technology uses laser beams through thin glass fibers to transmit data.
  • The cables are protected by multiple layers of insulation, plastic, and steel wires and are buried near shores or laid directly on the ocean floor in deep sea regions.
• Cable Features:
  • Data Capacity: New cables can carry up to 224 Tbps (Terabits per second).
  • Durability: Designed to avoid damage from fault zones, fishing areas, or anchors.
  • Speed: Faster and more cost-efficient than satellite communications for large-scale data transfer.

Why Undersea Cables Over Satellites?

• Higher Capacity: Submarine cables handle far more data than satellites.
• Cost-Effective: More affordable for high-volume data transfers.
• Reliability: Cables provide more stable connections, especially for large-scale data, compared to satellites.