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    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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