Page 13 - The Indian EYE 042426

Op-Ed APRIL 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 13

laboration can also shape regional nomic activity,” she says. Insights from the Wavelength reach fault sites, prolonging outages
norms by championing transparent Technical vulnerabilities also Forum and raising economic and security
procurement, trusted suppliers, and persist, as cables can be targeted for risks,” the officer notes. Overall, the
The July 2025 Wavelength Fo-
high standards for secure cable de- surveillance, raising concerns about rum in New Delhi underscored the forum reinforced that cable protec-
velopment.” espionage and data interception. urgency of action. “A key takeaway tion is inseparable from economic

Risks beneath the surface Structural weaknesses like limited is that subsea cables must be treat- security, digital resilience, and geo-
political stability.
Despite their critical role, subsea route redundancy can further in- ed as frontline strategic infrastruc-
cables face a range of vulnerabilities. crease vulnerability by concentrating ture,” she says. Industry leaders at the forum
“The most common threat to sub- traffic along a small number of path- Participants called for regulato- agreed that, looking ahead, India’s
sea cables is surprisingly mundane: ways. ry reforms, including a streamlined priorities should include streamlining
accidental human activity,” she ob- “When a cable is cut, repairs single-window clearance system in approvals for cable installation and
serves, noting that fishing trawlers can take days or even weeks de- India so installation and repairs can enabling rapid emergency repairs so
and ship anchors account for most pending on location, permits, and proceed quickly. They also empha- that faults can be resolved quickly.
of the roughly 150 cable cuts report- weather,” the officer explains. “In sized the importance of diversifying Above all, international coop-
ed annually. Natural disasters like contested regions such as the South landing stations beyond a few coast- eration is essential. “Stronger inter-
earthquakes and underwater land- China Sea or the Taiwan Strait, cable al cities and strengthening inland national cooperation, particularly
slides further compound the risks. disruptions could slow connectivity, connectivity to reduce systemic vul- between the United States and India,
Yet the growing concern lies in interrupt financial flows, complicate nerabilities. can promote trusted suppliers, better
deliberate disruption. “In a crisis, military communications, and affect Another critical gap identi- information-sharing, and common
hostile actors could sabotage cables economies that depend heavily on fied was repair readiness in In- standards for secure cable develop-
to cripple communications and eco- digital trade.” dia. “Vessels often take too long to ment across the Indo-Pacific.”

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