New Delhi: Meta is set to build a 50,000 km undersea cable linking India and the US, as part of a larger plan to improve global internet infrastructure. The US and India announced the project in a joint statement, highlighting a “multi-billion, multi-year investment” by Meta, with work scheduled to begin this year.
India’s Role in Undersea Cable Maintenance
India plans to invest in the maintenance, repair, and financing of undersea cables in the Indian Ocean using trusted vendors, the statement added. This development aligns with the country’s broader digital infrastructure strategy, which includes expanding global connectivity.
Growing Undersea Cable Network in India
With the addition of Meta’s project, India will host 18 international subsea cable systems. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the country currently has 17 active subsea cables across 17 district landing stations. The total lit capacity of these cables stands at 180 terabits per second (TBPS), with an active capacity of 132 TBPS, TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti stated earlier this year.
Apart from Meta’s initiative, two new cable systems- India Asia Xpress (IAX) and India Europe Xpress (IEX) are being developed by Reliance Jio. These cables, spanning over 15,000 km, are expected to be operational by the end of 2025. The IAX system will connect Chennai and Mumbai to Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, while the IEX system will link France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, and parts of West Asia and East Africa.
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