New Subsea Cable Routes Set to Enhance India's Digital Infrastructure
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Improved internet quality ahead: New subsea cable routes to widen India's data highway
India's digital connectivity is set to expand significantly with three major undersea cable projects coming online between October and March: 2Africa Pearls, IndiaAsia-Express (IAX), and India-Europe-Express (IEX). These projects will increase capacity by over four times, enhancing internet services and supporting advanced technologies like 5G and AI.Digital connectivity in India is set to get a major boost, with three large undersea cable projects -- 2Africa Pearls, IndiaAsia-Express (IAX) and India-Europe-Express (IEX) -- slated to go onstream between October and next March, expanding existing capacity by more than four times, said people familiar with the matter. 2Africa, among the longest subsea cable systems in the world, spanning over 45,000 km, has investments from Bharti Airtel and Meta, among others. It will have a capacity of 180 terabits per second (tbps), connecting 33 countries, including Sunil Mittal-led Airtel's landing station in Mumbai. IAX and IEX involve contributions from Reliance Jio, among others. Boost for Data Centre Operators: IAX and IEX will be landing at Mumbai and Chennai, respectively, reinforcing India's weight in the global telecom market. IEX will have a capacity of over 200 tbps, covering 9,775 km from Mumbai to the Persian Gulf and further to Europe. IAX will also have a capacity of more than 200 tbps, extending more than 16,000 kms, starting from Mumbai, and connecting Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Experts said the three projects combined will significantly enhance capacity, besides improving the quality of internet services for 5G video streaming, Internet of Things, AI and cloud computing, helping draw large scale investments from data centre operators. India had 17 international subsea cables landing in 14 distinct stations in five cities, with a cumulative lit capacity of 138.55 tbps and activated capacity of 111.11 tbps as of 2023, as per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Lit capacity is the full traffic-carrying capability, while the activated capacity is that which is in use for these submarine cables. "Some phases of these cables have already landed in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, and testing is live," said a senior telco executive involved in one of the projects.
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New Subsea Cable Routes to Widen India's Data Highway
Digital connectivity in India is set to get a major boost, with three large undersea cable projects -- 2 Africa Pearls, India-Asia-Express (IAX) and India-Europe-Express (IEX) -- slated to go onstream between October and next March, expanding existing capacity by more than four times, said people familiar with the matter.Digital connectivity in India is set to get a major boost, with three large undersea cable projects -- 2 Africa Pearls, India-Asia-Express (IAX) and India-Europe-Express (IEX) -- slated to go onstream between October and next March, expanding existing capacity by more than four times, said people familiar with the matter. 2Africa, among the longest subsea cable systems in the world, spanning over 45,000 km, has investments from Bharti Airtel and Meta, among others. It will have a capacity of 180 terabits per second (tbps), connecting 33 countries, including Sunil Mittal-led Airtel's landing station in Mumbai. IAX and IEX involve contributions from Reliance Jio, among others. IAX and IEX will be landing at Mumbai and Chennai, respectively, reinforcing India's weight in the global telecom market. IEX will have a capacity of over 200 tbps, covering 9,775 km from Mumbai to the Persian Gulf and further to Europe. IAX will also have a capacity of more than 200 tbps, extending more than 16,000 kms, starting from Mumbai, and connecting Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Experts said the three projects combined will significantly enhance capacity, besides improving the quality of internet services for 5G video streaming, Internet of Things, AI and cloud computing, helping draw large scale investments from data centre operators. India had 17 international subsea cables landing in 14 distinct stations in five cities, with a cumulative lit capacity of 138.55 tbps and activated capacity of 111.11 tbps as of 2023, as per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Lit capacity is the full traffic-carrying capability, while the activated capacity is that which is in use for these submarine cables. "Some phases of these cables have already landed in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, and testing is live," said a senior telco executive involved in one of the projects.
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India's internet connectivity is poised for a significant upgrade with the introduction of new subsea cable routes. This development promises to improve data speeds, reduce latency, and strengthen the country's digital infrastructure.
Expanding India's Digital Highway
India is on the brink of a major digital transformation as new subsea cable routes are set to significantly enhance the country's internet infrastructure. These developments are expected to boost data speeds, reduce latency, and strengthen India's position in the global digital landscape
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.Strategic Importance of Subsea Cables
Subsea cables play a crucial role in global internet connectivity, carrying approximately 98% of international internet traffic. India's strategic location makes it an ideal hub for these cables, connecting Europe and Singapore. The country already hosts 17 submarine cable systems with 29 landing stations across its coastline
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.New Cable Systems on the Horizon
Several new cable systems are in various stages of development and deployment:
- IAX: Connecting Mumbai to Singapore via the Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- IEX: Linking Mumbai to Italy via Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
- 2Africa: Connecting India to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
- SeaMeWe 6: Linking India to Singapore and Europe
These new routes are expected to be operational between 2023 and 2025, significantly expanding India's international bandwidth capacity
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.Impact on Internet Quality and Digital Economy
The introduction of these new cable systems is anticipated to have a profound impact on India's digital landscape:
- Improved Internet Quality: Users can expect faster data speeds and reduced latency, enhancing overall internet experience.
- Increased Bandwidth: The new cables will substantially increase India's international bandwidth capacity.
- Enhanced Connectivity: Better connections to key global internet hubs will improve India's digital connectivity.
- Economic Growth: Improved infrastructure will support the growth of India's digital economy and attract foreign investments.
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Government Initiatives and Industry Collaboration
The Indian government has recognized the importance of these developments and is actively supporting the expansion of subsea cable infrastructure. Initiatives like the National Broadband Mission aim to provide broadband access to all villages by 2022
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.Major telecom players like Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are collaborating with global partners to implement these new cable systems, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of digital connectivity
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.Future Prospects
As these new subsea cable routes become operational, India is poised to strengthen its position as a key player in the global digital economy. The enhanced infrastructure will not only benefit individual internet users but also support the growth of emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, and cloud computing, further accelerating India's digital transformation.
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