I-2SEA Subsea Cable to Land in India, But Network Vulnerabilities Remain

A new subsea cable, I-2SEA, is set to connect Singapore and Malaysia directly to Hyderabad, India. The project, backed by Microsoft, Singtel, Tata Communications, and NEC, will land at two separate points on India's east coast to ensure redundancy. This high-speed link is designed to carry the massive data traffic required by AI systems.

While the arrival of I-2SEA is a positive development for India's digital infrastructure, it also underscores long-standing weaknesses in the country's existing subsea cable network. This network carries nearly all of India's intercontinental internet traffic, including financial transactions, video calls, and government data. Satellites cannot handle the same data volume, making these cables critical.

A key concern is the concentration of landing stations. At least 13 of the 18 cables that land in India come ashore along a six-kilometre stretch of beach in Mumbai. A single incident, such as an anchor drop or construction accident, could severely disrupt connectivity for a large portion of the country.

Another major vulnerability is the lack of domestic repair capability. India has no Indian-owned cable-repair ships based in its waters. When a cable breaks, the country must wait for a foreign vessel, often from Singapore or Dubai, to become available. This process can take months and could be further delayed during a geopolitical crisis.

Experts argue that cables built by hyperscalers like Microsoft are designed to protect their own traffic, not the broader public network. The infrastructure carrying data for banks, hospitals, and government systems remains exposed. The situation calls for treating cable landing sites as critical national infrastructure and fostering public-private partnerships to build shared repair capacity. While I-2SEA is a welcome investment, it serves as a reminder of the structural reforms needed to secure India's digital backbone.