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Source: The Hindu

Context

As part of the impending India-US bilateral trade agreement, both governments have prioritized subsea cable infrastructure within the developing TRUST framework.

India-U.S. Bilateral Commercial Engagement

• Bilateral commercial engagement between India and the United States is growing beyond only an upcoming trade agreement.
• In the face of global instability, both governments prioritize strategic industries and seek to diversify and derisk technology supply chains.
• TRUST Initiative: The Technology for Resilient, Open, and Unified Security and Trust (TRUST) framework is taking shape as the successor of the United States-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
• QUAD Summit: US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit India later this year for the Quad Summit (India, Australia, Japan, and the United States). 
• Prior to the summit, the first tranche of a bilateral trade deal will be inked, increasing cooperation in digital technologies and markets.

What are subsea cables?

• Subsea cables transport approximately 95% of international data traffic and serve as the physical backbone of the global Internet.
• These cables link to users or data centers, which power cloud services and vital infrastructure.
• China's Digital Silk Road Initiative has rapidly built subsea infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the need for reliable alternatives.
• India-USA Cooperation: A firm pledge from India and the United States to create durable, secure undersea cable systems will benefit the entire world.
• The TRUST framework acknowledges India as a net security supplier in the Indo-Pacific.
• Future Plans: Plans are being developed to invest in regional subsea cable infrastructure through trustworthy vendors.
• India has around 17 international subsea cables, fewer than Singapore's 26, despite its smaller size.
• Connectivity center: India's 11,098-kilometer coastline and central Indo-Pacific location make it ideal for becoming a regional connectivity center.
• Cable Concentration: The majority of cables (15 of 17) land within a six-kilometer stretch in Mumbai, with the remainder concentrated in five cities: Chennai, Kochi, Tuticorin, and Thiruvananthapuram.
• Cable Repair and Maintenance: India relies on foreign-flagged cable repair ships, which are primarily headquartered in Singapore and Dubai. Repair response time usually takes 3 to 5 months because:
• Long travel times: Complicated clearance procedures involving customs, naval licenses, and crew approvals
• These delays put India's digital infrastructure at danger, both commercially and operationally.

What function does the TRUST framework play in protecting digital supply chains?

• Promotes Resilient and safe Digital Infrastructure: The TRUST (Technology for Resilient, Open, and Unified Security and Trust) architecture seeks to create trusted digital ecosystems by minimizing reliance on untrustworthy vendors and establishing safe, interoperable technology supply chains. TRUST, for example, promotes investments in secure subsea cables to reduce dependency on Chinese-controlled infrastructure.
• Strengthens India's Role as a Regional Security supplier: The framework recognizes India's potential as a net security supplier in the Indo-Pacific, which is consistent with US initiatives to de-risk strategic technologies and increase digital connectivity redundancy. TRUST efforts, for example, encourage India to take the lead in regional subsea cable projects that use trustworthy suppliers.
• TRUST facilitates US investment and technical cooperation by providing concessional financing, cybersecurity help, and encouraging American corporations to anchor digital infrastructure projects in India and the region. For example, under TRUST, Meta's multi-year undersea cable investment initiative complements critical digital cooperation between the United States and India.

What steps has the Indian government taken? Policy push for the TRUST Framework: India is working with the United States to establish the Technology for Resilient, Open, and Unified Security and Trust (TRUST) framework, which focuses on trustworthy digital infrastructure and secure supply chains. For example, TRUST includes coordination on regional subsea cable investments and cybersecurity standards.Expansion of subsea cable projects: The government has backed large-scale undersea cable initiatives to boost India's global connectivity. For example, the 50,000-kilometer Meta project, supported by India and the United States, promises to connect five continents and increase India's digital footprint.

Challenges Hindering India’s Subsea Cable Infrastructure

Regulatory Bottlenecks and Bureaucratic Complexity

• Deployment and repair of undersea cables require 50+ clearances from multiple agencies including the Ministry of Telecommunications, Ministry of Defence, and port authorities.
  
  
• Delays due to approvals from customs, naval authorities, and telecom departments hamper timely cable laying.
  
  
• Recommendation: Establish a single-window clearance mechanism, digitise the process, and create a time-bound Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline stakeholder interaction.
  
  

Dependence on Foreign-Flagged Repair Vessels

• India relies on foreign ships from Singapore and Dubai for repairs, which take 3–5 months due to clearance and travel delays.
  
  
• Lack of domestic vessels causes prolonged communication outages and undermines infrastructure sovereignty.
  
  
• Recommendation: Develop an Indian-flagged repair fleet and set up regional cable depots along the coast. Support through public-private partnerships and government incentives.
  
  

Infrastructure Concentration and Geographic Risk

• 15 of 17 subsea cables land within a 6 km stretch in Mumbai, creating a single point of failure vulnerable to natural disasters or sabotage.
  
  
• Limited landing points reduce load-sharing and resilience.
  
  
• Recommendation: Diversify landing stations across the 11,098 km coastline. New hubs can be Visakhapatnam, Kandla, and Paradip.
  
  

Investment Barriers and Low Private Participation

• Challenges include uncertain returns, high capital costs, and regulatory risks.
  
  
• Recommendation: Offer concessional loans, blended finance, and create a Digital Infrastructure Fund to encourage investment.
  
  

Cybersecurity and Trust Deficits

• Cables carry sensitive data and are prone to interception or sabotage, especially amid geopolitical tensions (e.g., China’s Digital Silk Road).
  
  
• Recommendation: India and the U.S. should co-develop cybersecurity protocols, joint drills, and risk assessment frameworks under the TRUST initiative.

Way Forward

Risks of Overconcentration: Most subsea cables land in Mumbai, creating a single point of failure prone to natural calamities, human error, or sabotage.

Need for Wider Distribution: Establishing more landing stations along India’s 11,098 km coastline will ensure network redundancy and smooth data rerouting during disruptions.

• Example: In 2024, Houthi rebels damaged Red Sea cables, forcing rerouting—similar events near India could cripple communications.

Reforming the Licensing Regime:

• Laying and maintaining cables needs over 50 clearances from various ministries.
  
  
• This bureaucratic complexity hinders private investment and delays infrastructure rollout.
  
  
• A single-window clearance system and time-bound SOPs are essential for efficiency.

Role of the USA:

• Should increase investment in Indo-Pacific digital infrastructure.
  
  
• Provide concessional finance, technical support, and encourage U.S. firms to lead subsea projects.
  
  
• Example: Meta’s 50,000 km subsea cable project was endorsed in the 2025 U.S.-India Leaders’ Statement.

Building Domestic Repair Capacity:

• Promote Indian-flagged repair vessels.
  
  
• Develop regional cable maintenance depots.
  
  
• Integrate this within the TRUST framework for better cybersecurity and resilience.

Practice Question Q. The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China’s supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter China’s political and economic dominance.’ Explain this statement with examples.