Why are undersea cables important?
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 10)
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Topic: GS3 – Infrastructure |
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Context |
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What are Undersea Cables?
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Undersea cables connect internet networks across countries and continents.
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These cables are a few inches thick, padded for sea-floor protection, and carry fiber optic strands inside.
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They allow large volumes of data to travel quickly across the globe.
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At landing points, these cables come ashore and connect to stations inland.
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These cables support 90% of data, 80% of world trade, and $10 trillion in financial transactions.
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India’s Current Undersea Cable Capacity |
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Risks Related to Cable Cuts
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India has fewer cables than some smaller countries like Singapore.
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Damage in areas like the Red Sea can impact up to 25% of India’s internet traffic.
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Though some damage has occurred in the past, built-in excess capacity prevented major disruptions.
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Many cable routes still follow historical trade paths.
Challenges and Solutions
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Laying cables in India requires over 50 permissions from different departments.
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Most delays happen in the 24-mile territorial zone near the coast.
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Cables often get damaged by fishing trawlers.
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India lacks repair ships and cable storage depots, and depends on foreign vessels.
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There is a need for simplified permissions and local repair infrastructure.
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Practice Question: Other than terrestrial networks, how do undersea cable systems contribute to India’s digital infrastructure? Discuss the challenges and opportunities they present. (150 Words /10 marks) |
