September 26, 2023
2 mins read

India, Australia Ramp Up Work on Undersea Cables to Counter China

Approximately 98 per cent of the world’s data and voice traffic are carried by international submarine cables..writes Ateet Sharma

Quad partners India, Australia, Japan and the United States vowed to discuss overarching priorities and engage with the private sector and also welcomed Canberra’s commitment to establish an Indo-Pacific Cable Connectivity and Resilience Programme which will commission technical and policy research, share best-practice policy frameworks and provide technical assistance to the Indo-Pacific.

Approximately 98 per cent of the world’s data and voice traffic are carried by international submarine cables and as much as 95 per cent of international data traffic in the Indo-Pacific is carried by undersea cable networks, making them vital to connectivity as well as a source of strategic vulnerability.

“The partnership will strengthen cable systems, drawing on the world-class expertise of Quad countries in manufacturing, delivering and maintaining that cable infrastructure,” Australia’s Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said in May.

In July, with the launch of Darwin’s first-ever direct connection to the global network of high-capacity subsea telecommunications cables – the 7700km Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable (DJSC) system – Australia took a major leap forward towards bridging the digital divide and unlocking new opportunities for growth, innovation, and development in the region.

Wong realises India’s significance – and that of Southeast Asia – in a region where a “grand drama of global geopolitics” is being played on a stage dominated by great powers.

The minister has in the past acknowledged that what happens in, to and through this region will be strategically central to Australia’s future.

IndiaNarrative.com has reported extensively about the ongoing intense rivalry between the US and China to gain an upper hand for the control of international subsea internet cables.

The grand geopolitical tussle was visible in plain sight when i SubCom LLC, an American subsea cable company, won a contract to build the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6, or SeaMeWe-6, internet cable.

The 19,200-kilometer undersea SeaMeWe-6 cable will link Singapore to Marseille, France, passing through Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Pakistan, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Greece and Italy along the way. According to its schedule, the laying of the fibre-optic cable should be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

ALSO READ: Controversy Erupts as Canadian Leaders Laud Former SS Member in Parliament

Previous Story

Deadly Standoff at Serbian Monastery in Kosovo Sparks Accusations and Tensions

Next Story

X Corp’s CEO Confirms Rollout of Audio and Video Calls for Premium Subscribers

Latest from -Top News

Visa Interview Pause Nearing End, Says US

India is the source country for the largest group of international students in the US and Bruce’s comments will be closely followed there….reports Asian Lite News The United States said the pause

No Talks Till Terror Ends: India to Pakistan

The MEA’s strong response came at a time when Pakistan, pushed on the backfoot by India’s decisive Operation Sindoor, has suddenly started talking about its intent on having peace talks with India….reports

BNP ramps up poll demand

Chief Adviser Yunus had earlier promised elections in December 2025, but the timeline has since been pushed back first to February 2026 and then to June 2026, fuelling suspicion and dissatisfaction among

Saudi backs India’s strategic outreach

In a series of engagements, the Indian delegation met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State Adel Al-Jubeir and other senior officials. A high-profile Indian all-party parliamentary delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay

India clears stealth fighter project

New execution model paves way for private sector involvement in India’s ambitious stealth aircraft programme; Army showcases next-gen drone warfare systems. In a landmark decision bolstering India’s defence self-reliance, Defence Minister Rajnath
Go toTop

Don't Miss

India ships rice, other essentials to crisis-hit Lanka

Sri Lanka is near bankruptcy and has severe shortages of

Aussie astronomers in search of habitable planets

Chief executive Jason Held said Australians should be proud of