Abstract

For an economy and connectivity so drastically dependent on submarine communication cables, which carry 99% of India's international internet traffic, it must be a regulatory crisis affecting digital growth. The rules controlling these cables are archaic, inadequate, and fragmented in this country. Because of the sensitive government communications and defense data that it carries, these cables constitute critical strategic assets. Given their vulnerability to hostile interference by tampering, surveying, or disrupting it, tough regulation is an obvious necessity. Most of such cables traverse contested regions and geopolitically sensitive regions. The present regulations are very wanting in many respects. International Long-Distance Operators have not been given clear directives on their liability regarding cables landing in India. Licensing provisions for submarine cables remain ambiguous. The bureaucratic processes of cable repairs and installations incur costly delays, while modern technologies such as stub-cables remain unrecognized. India has to be more dependent on foreign vessels for repairs, as repair ships and facilities for storing are not available in the nation. On the contrary, Singapore, Australia, and the United States have implemented effective regulatory mechanisms and made the approval processes smoother, protected the corridors of cables, and maintained capabilities domestically. For India to maintain its position as a global digital leader, reforming submarine cable regulations is not just an administrative task but a strategic necessity. Comprehensive reforms are needed to protect and enhance these critical digital infrastructures to meet the demands of an increasingly connected future.

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