India's internet quality set for major upgrade: 3 key undersea cable projects to quadruple digital capacity
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Aug 21, 2024, 2:04 PM ISTIndia is set for a major upgrade in digital connectivity with the launch of three undersea cable projects: 2Africa Pearls, India-Asia-Express (IAX), and India-Europe-Express (IEX). Expected to be operational between October and March next year, these projects will enhance the country's digital infrastructure capacity by more than four times.
India is poised for a transformative leap in digital connectivity with the launch of three major undersea cable projects: 2Africa Pearls, India-Asia-Express (IAX), and India-Europe-Express (IEX). Set to become operational reportedly between October and March next year, these projects are expected to expand the country’s existing digital infrastructure capacity by over four times.
Submarine cables, which consist of high-capacity optic fiber pairs laid along the ocean floor, are vital for global high-speed data exchange. The completion of these undersea cable systems will significantly boost India's digital infrastructure, enabling faster and more efficient data transmission worldwide.
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2Africa Pearls
As per an ET report, the 2Africa cable system, among the longest subsea cable networks in the world, extends over 45,000 kilometers and offers a remarkable capacity of 180 terabits per second (tbps). It will link 33 countries, with a significant landing station in Mumbai operated by Bharti Airtel. This ambitious project, supported by investments from Bharti Airtel, Meta, and other leading firms, highlights India's expanding influence in the global telecommunications landscape.
India-Asia-Express (IAX)
The IAX project will extend over 16,000 kilometers, linking Mumbai to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. With a capacity exceeding 200 tbps, IAX is set to play a crucial role in enhancing connectivity across Asia.
India-Europe-Express (IEX)
Covering 9,775 kilometers, the IEX cable system will connect Mumbai to the Persian Gulf and further to Europe. Also featuring a capacity of over 200 tbps, the IEX project will enhance data exchange between India and Europe, further integrating India into global data networks.
Impact on India's Digital Infrastructure
The combination of these three projects is expected to dramatically increase digital capacity, improving internet services and supporting advanced applications such as 5G video streaming, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. This development is anticipated to attract significant investment from data center operators, reinforcing India’s position in the global data economy.
As of 2023, India is home to 17 international subsea cables landing at 14 different stations across five cities. The total lit capacity of these cables is 138.55 Tbps, with 111.11 Tbps currently activated, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). Lit capacity refers to the maximum traffic-carrying capability, while activated capacity indicates the portion in use.
Experts emphasize the importance of subsea cables, which handle over 99% of global internet traffic and facilitate more than $10 trillion in daily financial transactions. The development of varied subsea cable routes and landing stations is essential for maintaining robust and reliable global communication networks.
India’s Growing Telecom Market
India, with its 1.2 billion telecom users, stands as one of the world’s largest telecom markets. According to Nokia's Mobile Broadband Index, the average monthly data consumption per capita is 24.1 gigabytes (GB), representing a 24% increase from the previous year. The index projects that this figure will rise to approximately 28GB per month by December, highlighting India's expanding presence in the global data arena.
The new cable projects signify a major step forward in India's digital progress, promising to boost connectivity and meet the nation's increasing digital needs.
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