India stands at the cusp of a digital revolution, where subsea cables serve as the lifeline of its rapidly expanding digital economy. Broadband India Forum hosted the First-Ever International Subsea Cable Systems Conference in New Delhi, bringing together international and national experts on subsea cables to discuss the impact of subsea cables ecosystem in India’s burgeoning digital economy.
Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI stated: “India is witnessing an exponential growth in data consumption in line with global trends. Meeting this demand requires subsea cable infrastructure— carrying over 95% of the world’s data traffic. Recent global subsea cable disruptions highlight the need for strengthening this backbone. To safeguard our strategic and commercial interests, geographical diversity of subsea cables, and increasing CLS sites and subsea cables, are important. I commend BIF for organizing this timely event, and hope that it will help in shaping policies and foster investments, paving way for India’s digital ambitions.”
Aruna Sundararajan (IAS retd.), Chairperson, BIF, added: “Recognizing the pivotal role of subsea cables in the landscape of an advanced digital economy, BIF is proud to be hosting the First International Subsea Cable Systems Conference, bringing together esteemed experts from across the globe. India holds immense potential to emerge as a leading global transit hub for subsea connectivity. To realise this, it is imperative to expand the capacity of subsea infrastructure by 4-5X, enhance resilience, and build redundancy in our subsea cable systems, moving with the global trends. We must prioritize this critical asset, especially amid the shifting geopolitical landscape”
Robert Ravi, CMD, BSNL, added: “We are proud that, from the ocean depths to the Himalayan heights, BSNL is connecting India — securely, affordably, and reliably. We are also deeply appreciative of the BIF initiative to arrange the 1st ever major Conference in India on a subject that is of great importance for India’s status as an advanced digital economy”
Sonia Jorge, Executive Director, GDIP who collaborated with BIF for organising this Conference said: “In today’s digital world, uninterrupted and secure internet connectivity is essential for sustained socio-economic opportunities for all. Subsea cables have a transformative impact in advancing affordable and universal meaningful connectivity. Hence, policy and regulatory barriers to subsea cable deployment, maintenance and repair must be addressed to secure equitable high quality digital access.”
This high-profile conference featured an esteemed lineup of speakers in the inaugural session including Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), (as the Chief Guest); Shri. Robert J. Ravi, CMD, BSNL (as the Guest of Honour); along with Mr. Scott Cowling, Director, Network Investments, Meta; Mr. Amajit Gupta, Group CEO & MD, Lightstorm; Mr. Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel; Mr. Thomas Ohta, Senior Director- Head of Submarine Sales Department, Submarine Network Division, NEC; Ms. Sonia Jorge, Executive Director, GDIP; Smt. Aruna Sundararajan (IAS retd.), Chairperson, BIF; and Mr. Shivnath Thukral, Vice President, BIF & Vice President, Public Policy, India at Meta.
BIF Puts Spotlight on Subsea Cable Systems in India
Key discussions covered industry challenges, investment-friendly policies, and strategies for resilience and redundancy. Experts and policymakers explored best practices, policy reforms, and incentives for India’s subsea cable expansion, including CLS development and fiber growth.
Amid geopolitical shifts and recent cable disruptions, the conference stressed India’s need to enhance subsea capacity, ensure geographical diversity, and establish local repair facilities—such as an India-flagged repair ship. Regulatory reforms were also highlighted to enable captive subsea networks. The event positioned India as a future global subsea transit hub, setting the stage for investment-driven growth through strategic policies and business-friendly reforms.
