India is on the brink of a digital transformation, with subsea cables playing a critical role in supporting its rapidly growing digital economy. The Broadband India Forum (BIF) recently hosted the inaugural International Subsea Cable Systems Conference in New Delhi, bringing together experts from around the world to explore the crucial role of subsea cables in India’s expanding digital landscape.
Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), emphasized the importance of subsea cables, which carry more than 95% of global data traffic. He noted that the country’s rising data consumption, in line with global trends, demands robust subsea cable infrastructure. He stressed that addressing disruptions in global subsea cables requires strengthening India’s cable networks. “To protect our strategic and commercial interests, increasing the diversity of subsea cables and expanding Cable Landing Stations (CLS) are essential,” he added. He praised BIF for organizing this timely conference and hoped it would encourage policy development and investment, supporting India’s digital goals.
Smt Aruna Sundararajan (IAS retd.), Chairperson of BIF, highlighted the critical role of subsea cables in building an advanced digital economy. “India has significant potential to become a key global transit hub for subsea connectivity,” she said. “To achieve this, we need to scale our subsea infrastructure by 4-5 times, enhance its resilience, and ensure redundancy to stay in sync with global trends. This is especially vital in today’s evolving geopolitical environment.”
Shri Robert Ravi, CMD of BSNL, expressed pride in the company’s efforts to connect India from its coasts to the Himalayan peaks. “BSNL is dedicated to providing secure, affordable, and reliable connectivity across the nation. We also applaud BIF for hosting India’s first major conference on this important topic, which is essential for India’s future as a digital powerhouse.”
Sonia Jorge, Executive Director of GDIP, who collaborated with BIF to organize the conference, stressed the importance of secure and uninterrupted internet connectivity for fostering socio-economic growth. “Subsea cables play a transformative role in ensuring affordable and meaningful connectivity. It’s crucial that policy and regulatory obstacles to the deployment, maintenance, and repair of subsea cables be addressed to ensure equitable, high-quality digital access for all.”
The conference featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of TRAI, as the Chief Guest, and Shri Robert Ravi, CMD of BSNL, as the Guest of Honour. Other notable speakers included Scott Cowling, Director of Network Investments at Meta; Amajit Gupta, Group CEO & MD of Lightstorm; Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer at Bharti Airtel; Thomas Ohta, Senior Director at NEC; Sonia Jorge, Executive Director of GDIP; Smt Aruna Sundararajan (IAS retd.), Chairperson of BIF; and Shivnath Thukral, Vice President of BIF & Vice President of Public Policy, India at Meta.
Key topics covered during the event included industry challenges, policies conducive to investment, and strategies to improve resilience and redundancy. Experts and policymakers discussed best practices, necessary policy reforms, and incentives to expand India’s subsea cable network, such as the development of CLS and growth in fiber infrastructure.
Given the changing geopolitical landscape and recent subsea cable disruptions, the conference underscored the need for India to increase its subsea capacity, diversify cable routes, and create local repair facilities—such as an Indian-flagged repair vessel. Regulatory reforms to enable private subsea networks were also highlighted. The event framed India’s future as a global subsea transit hub and set the stage for growth driven by strategic policies and business-friendly reforms.
