Recent damage to several key submarine internet cables in the Red Sea has caused widespread internet disruptions affecting parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, including India.
These undersea cables, such as South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 (SMW4), India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE), and FALCON, are vital fiber-optic routes that carry over 99% of international data traffic, connecting continents with minimal latency.
The Red Sea is a major telecommunications chokepoint where about 15 critical cables run through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking Asia, Europe, and Africa.
This area’s heavy shipping traffic and geopolitical tensions increase the risk of accidental damage, such as ships dragging anchors over the cables, which experts believe is the likely cause of the recent cuts.
Repairing these cables is complex and time-consuming, requiring specialized vessels and divers, meaning disruptions may persist for weeks.
In India, key cable landing stations in Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Tuticorin, and Trivandrum experienced interruptions, leading to slower internet speeds and higher latency.
Major Indian telecom providers rerouted traffic to alternative paths, but users and businesses noted slowdowns and connectivity issues.
Industries most affected include:
- IT and Technology Services: Cloud computing and data center operations faced latency issues, impacting service delivery.
- E-commerce and Digital Payments: Online transaction delays and degraded customer experience were reported.
- Financial Services: Trading platforms and digital banking services suffered from slower response times.
- Telecommunications: Carrier networks experienced congestion and reduced capacity.
- Media and Streaming: Content delivery was slowed, causing buffering and interruptions.
- Manufacturing and Supply Chain: IoT-driven operations saw delays affecting efficiency.
This incident underscores the fragility of global digital infrastructure and the critical need for enhanced resilience, diversification of cable routes, and robust contingency planning to safeguard India’s and the broader region’s digital economies.
Efforts are underway globally to strengthen submarine cable protections and expedite repairs, but the unique geography and security challenges of the Red Sea remain a persistent risk factor for internet reliability.
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