Undersea Cables: Securing India’s Digital Lifelines

Context: Undersea cables carry 95% of global data, forming India's connectivity backbone via systems like SEA-ME-WE, amid rising grey-zone threats from disruptions (e.g., 2025 India-West Asia cuts) and Chinese surveillance vessels. Historical precedents from WWI cable cuts to Cold War taps (Operation Ivy Bells) highlight their shift from wartime targets to intelligence/economic assets.

Why Are Undersea Cables Strategically Important?

Economic Significance

• Enable global internet, financial transactions, and cloud services
• Critical for sectors like IT, fintech, and digital governance

National Security Dimension

• Vulnerable to sabotage, espionage, and surveillance
• Increasing role in grey-zone conflicts

Historical Perspective

• World War I saw deliberate cable cutting
• Cold War involved covert tapping (e.g., Operation Ivy Bells)

Key Threats to Undersea Cables

• Physical damage (anchors, fishing activity, sabotage)
• Cyber threats and data interception
• Geopolitical tensions affecting repair and maintenance
• Surveillance by foreign vessels

How Can Undersea Cables Be Secured?

Route Diversification

• Reduce dependence on chokepoints like:
• Mumbai
• Chennai

Strategy

• Develop alternate routes via the Bay of Bengal
• Minimise single-point failure risks

Indigenous Repair Capability

• Develop domestic cable repair vessels and tools
• Reduce reliance on foreign entities during crises

Benefit

• Faster response during disruptions
• Strategic autonomy

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)

• Integrate cable monitoring with:
• Indian Navy
• Coast Guard

Tools

• Real-time AIS (Automatic Identification System)
• Radar tracking of suspicious vessels

Physical and Cyber Hardening

• Secure landing stations with:
• Restricted access
• Surveillance systems

Cyber Measures

• Encryption of data flows
• Intrusion detection systems

Policy Coordination and Partnerships

• Develop a national framework integrating:
• Telecom sector
• Maritime agencies
• Defence institutions

Regional Cooperation

• Collaborate through:
• BIMSTEC
• Quad

Broader Implications

Digital Sovereignty

• Control over critical data infrastructure

Economic Stability

• Prevents disruptions in financial and digital services

Strategic Security

• Enhances resilience against hybrid warfare

Way Forward

Invest in Infrastructure

• Expand cable networks and landing points

Strengthen Legal Framework

• Define protection protocols and responsibilities

Public-Private Collaboration

• Involve telecom companies in security planning

FAQs on Undersea Cables

What are undersea cables?

They are fibre-optic cables laid on the ocean floor to transmit global data.

Why are they important?

They carry about 95% of international data traffic.

What are the threats to undersea cables?

Physical damage, cyber attacks, and geopolitical tensions.

How can India secure them?

Through diversification, indigenous repair capacity, and maritime monitoring.

What is maritime domain awareness?

It is monitoring of maritime activities to ensure security and safety.

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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH