03 Jun 2025 : Strengthening the U.S.-India subsea cable agenda

 Editorial 1: ​​​Strengthening the U.S.-India subsea cable agenda

Context

It is important to strengthen the region’s digital resilience and to move forward with common strategic and business goals.

Introduction

Trade between India and the United States is growing quickly in many areas, not just with a soon-to-happen trade agreement. Both governments are cooperating closely on important strategic sectors because they agree on the need to diversify and reduce risks in technology supply chains, especially in today’s unstable world. This work includes improving the Technology for Resilient, Open and Unified Security and Trust (TRUST) framework, which builds on the earlier U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

Key Developments in U.S.-India Digital Cooperation and Subsea Cable Infrastructure

• Presidential Visit and Trade AgreementL: Later this year, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit India for the Quad Summit involving India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S. Before this meeting, the first part of a bilateral trade agreement between India and the U.S. will be signed, creating a strong foundation for increased cooperation in digital technologies and markets.
• Focus on Subsea Cables: Subsea cables, which form the physical backbone of the global Internet, are becoming a key area of attention. These cables handle more than 95% of international data traffic, supporting almost all digital communications. After landing, they connect directly to users or to data centres that support cloud services and vital infrastructure.
• Strategic Importance of Trusted Subsea Infrastructure: China’s rapid growth in subsea cable infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific through its Digital Silk Road Initiativehighlights the urgent need for trusted alternative networks to maintain regional security and stability.

India-U.S. Partnership on Subsea Cable Systems

• A strong India-U.S. commitment to build resilient and secure subsea cable systems would benefit the whole world.
• The TRUST framework highlights India’s growing role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific and supports investing in subsea cable infrastructure with trusted vendors.

India’s Current Subsea Cable Status

• India has a long 11,098 km coastline and a fast-growing digital economy, making it well-positioned to be a regional hub.
• However, India has fewer subsea cables compared to smaller countries like Singapore, so this needs to improve.

Cable Landing Stations and Network Diversification

• India’s coastline forms nearly two-thirds of its boundary, but 15 of 17 international subsea cables land in just a 6 km area in Mumbai.
• Cable landing stations are located in only five cities: Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Tuticorin, and Thiruvananthapuram.
• There is a need to diversify landing stations to reduce risks from natural disasters, human errors, or sabotage.

Importance of Network Redundancy

• A spread-out network increases redundancy, meaning if one cable is damaged, data can be rerouted through others.
• Example: In 2024, Houthi rebels damaged subsea cables in the Red Sea, forcing India to reroute traffic to avoid disruptions.
• If a similar incident happens near India, it could cause major communication failures domestically and internationally.

Strategic Location of India in Subsea Cable Networks

• Subsea cable routes often follow historical maritime trade routes.
• India is located between Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, near important maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, and Bab-el-Mandeb.
• This strategic position makes India a natural hub for global cable networks.

Growing Broadband Demand and Regional Connectivity

Strategic Importance of India’s Digital Infrastructure

• The U.S. policy focuses on countering Beijing’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
• India’s digital infrastructure, especially subsea cables, is a key frontline asset that needs to be strengthened and protected in this strategic context.

India’s Need to Improve Investment Environment

• India must reduce entry barriers to encourage more investment in subsea cables.
• The current licensing process is very complicated, requiring over 50 clearances from different government ministries.
• India depends on foreign-flagged cable repair ships, mainly from Singapore and Dubai, which take 3 to 5 months to respond to cable outages due to long travel and complex clearance processes involving customs, naval permissions, and crew approvals.
• These delays cause commercial losses and need to be addressed.

Role of the United States in Enhancing Digital Infrastructure

Building Domestic Repair Capacity

• Developing a domestic subsea cable repair ecosystem is essential, including building repair depots and Indian-flagged repair vessels.
• This effort should be included under the TRUST framework to strengthen India’s digital infrastructure security and responsiveness.

Conclusion

Finally, better subsea cable cooperation will support the larger U.S.-India trade deal being negotiated, as it is based on stronger technology collaboration. Quick progress in these areas will boost the region’s digital resilience and help achieve shared strategic and business goals.