Context: Two new optical fiber cables namely India Asia Xpress (IAX) and India Europe Xpress (IEX) are expected to be functional in near future to enhance internet connectivity of India.
Relevance of the topic:
Prelims: Bharat Net Scheme; International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Mains: Detailed questions on connectivity infrastructure in India.
Major Highlights:
- As of 2024, India is connected to the global internet by 17 international undersea cables: SEA-ME-WE 3, Bay of Bengal Gateway, and Europe India Gateway.
- Two new cable systems are set to launch in India in the coming months. The cables- IAX and IEX are cumulatively over 15,000 Km in length. They are owned by Reliance Jio with a strategic investment from China Mobile.
- IAX connects- Chennai and Mumbai with Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia in Asia.
- IEX connects- Chennai and Mumbai with France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Djibouti.
About Undersea Cables
- Submarine or undersea cables are high-capacity optic fibre cables laid on the ocean floor to provide global connectivity for high-speed data exchange.
- There are about 400 submarine cables worldwide that handle about 99% of international data traffic. Examples: JUNO, Asia-America Gateway, MAREA etc.
Advantages of Undersea Cables:
- The undersea cables are designed to offer higher bandwidth and low latency.
- These undersea cables i.e. Optical fiber cables offer low power loss and are immune to EM (Electro-magnetic) interference.
- Over long distances, these cables are more cost effective compared to satellites.
- The cables have minimal environmental footprint and are designed to last for around 25 years.
Disadvantages of Undersea Cables:
- They are vulnerable to physical damage to them from shipping and fishing activities.
- These cables are not suitable for regions vulnerable to disasters such as mudslides, typhoons etc. Satellites are used for such scenarios.
- The submarine cable system requires repeaters at regular intervals.
- The cables are used for espionage by countries. There have been instances where nations have intercepted data for espionage, raising concerns about data security.
- The installation of the fiber network is very much expensive which requires huge investment. Undersea cable repair is slow, tedious and expensive.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU):
- ITU is a specialised agency of the United Nations that focuses on issues related to information and communication technologies established in 1985.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- India is a member nation.
- Report associated: Global Cybersecurity Index.
Bharat Net Scheme:
- The scheme, launched by the Government of India, aims to boost the internet connectivity in the nation, especially the remote and rural regions.
- It primarily advocates the usage of Optical Fiber Cable to enhance the connectivity to remote regions.
- It targets to connect 2.5 Lakh Gram Panchayats with high speed broadband connection.
- Universal Service Obligation Fund is used for the funding of the project. Where USOF is a corpus collected by the levies on the telecom operators.
Undersea Cables and India’s Opportunity:
- Strategic Location of India: India's advantageous position in the Indian Ocean, brings it at the crossroads of major international trade and data transmission routes. Hence, India can serve as a vital node or connectivity hub for global internet traffic.
- Enhancing regional connectivity: India has 17 prominent undersea cables and is expanding even further. The infrastructure can be leveraged to provide connectivity solutions to neighbouring countries (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, East Africa etc.) This can increase India’s strategic influence as well as provide economic gains.
- Strategic leadership: India can play an active role in the International Telecommunication Union to shape global standards for connectivity and cybersecurity.
Certain challenges to Internet Connectivity in India:
- Cost overrun as the delay in the projects due to land acquisition leads to the elevation in the cost of the project.
- Coordination issues: In India, there are multiple agencies and coordinating bodies involved in Telecom regulation namely Telecom tribunal and Consumer tribunals; creating a coordination issue due to overlapping jurisdiction.
- Security Issue: Submarine cables are susceptible to disruptions (intentional or accidental damage to cables) and espionage risks at strategic chokepoints. E.g., Malacca Strait. This could impact data transmission.
Way Forward: The new ecosystem of optical fiber will boost the economic development in India, though the challenges can be addressed with a common coordinating agency and inviting Public-Private Partnership funding. Also, new means of connectivity like satellite based internet like Starlink can also be explored.