The Centre has asked telecom companies and subsea cable operators to conduct a risk analysis of India’s exposure to potential damage to critical undersea data pipelines that crisscross the oceans and to develop fallback options as conflict escalates in West Asia, according to an Economic Times report dated March 27, 2026, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Strategic Importance of the Strait of Hormuz
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has held meetings with industry executives to prepare contingency plans in response to threats from Iran targeting undersea cables. The Strait of Hormuz serves as a key conduit for about a third of India’s westward internet traffic to and from the US and Europe, sources were quoted as saying.
Rerouting Challenges and Costs
While some traffic can be rerouted through Singapore, sources reportedly said this would be insufficient to handle the entire load. Alternative routes are also costlier, with hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) consuming significant capacity. The Pacific route, in particular, is longer than the Atlantic, which could affect latency and processing speeds, unnamed experts were quoted as saying.
Expert Warnings on Service Disruptions
“The government is actively engaging with stakeholders to assess the risks arising from India's dependence on subsea cables through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea,” Harsha Ram, head of network business at Sify Technologies, was quoted as saying. “Any disruption or cable cuts could degrade critical services, leading to financial transaction failures, e-commerce disruptions, social media outages, and broader impact on IT and GCC operations. However, the chances of a complete blackout are slim as most service providers have adequate resilience built in.”
An executive from a subsea cable firm repotedly noted, “The government has been engaging with the industry as the situation is unprecedented. Firms usually plan some extra capacity as a contingency measure for damages or minor cuts, but nobody planned for a war situation.”
Subsea Cable Repairs Hampered by Security Risks
According to the report, cable repair operations in the region have already been disrupted due to security risks, affecting maintenance on Airtel’s SEA-ME-WE 4 (SMW4) and I-ME-WE (IMEWE) systems, as well as Flag Telecom’s FALCON, which were cut near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Tata Communications’ TATA TGN-Gulf and Airtel’s Africa Pearls systems are also exposed to risk.
Several new subsea cables—including Reliance Jio’s India-Europe-Express and India-Asia-Express, and Google’s Dhivaru—are under construction along the same corridor. Industry stakeholders said safeguarding infrastructure and ensuring swift repair will require government support for necessary approvals.
Implications for India’s Data Centre Ambitions
Prolonged disruptions could impact India’s USD 270 billion data centre ambitions, which rely on enhanced subsea connectivity. Planned cables, including Meta Platforms’ Waterworth and Google’s Blue-Raman, are expected to land on Indian shores. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai recently unveiled the India-America Connect initiative in New Delhi to establish new subsea routes.
Reportedly, the executives have urged the government to negotiate with Iran to avert any threats to subsea infrastructure. Sources expressed cautious optimism, noting that some India-bound vessels have already been allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
