Andhra Pradesh as an Emerging Subsea Cable Hub
Andhra Pradesh as an Emerging Subsea Cable Hub
Why is Andhra Pradesh emerging as a sea-cable hub?
• Rapid data-centre buildout: The expansion of data-centre infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, particularly around Visakhapatnam, is driving demand for high-capacity international digital connectivity.
• New subsea cable landing stations: Andhra Pradesh's coastline is set to receive new landing stations for submarine cables, creating a new international gateway for India's internet infrastructure.
• Visakhapatnam as a strategic location: Google plans to land its America-India Connect system at Visakhapatnam, alongside its developing data-centre complex.
• A third international gateway: With Mumbai and Chennai already serving as major subsea cable gateways, the emerging Visakhapatnam corridor could become India's third major digital international subsea gateway.
Major Subsea Cable Projects
I-2SEA Submarine Cable System
• India-Southeast Asia (I-2SEA) is a 3,600-km submarine cable system.
• Microsoft is participating in the consortium along with companies including Lightstorm and Singtel.
• It will connect Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, with India's east coast.
• The system will also connect to Chennai.
• It is expected to be ready for service in Q4 2029.
• It creates a new digital corridor between Southeast Asia and South Asia, where significant digital infrastructure serving Indian users and enterprises is located.
America-India Connect
• Google's America-India Connect is a globe-spanning submarine cable system.
• It is planned to land at Visakhapatnam, close to Google's developing data-centre complex.
• This will strengthen India's direct connectivity with international digital networks.
Why is a New East-Coast Gateway Needed?
• Ageing existing cables: Many submarine cables serving India's east coast are already 8–15 years old.
• Capacity constraints: Existing systems are increasingly filled with capacity and approaching the end of their operational life.
• Need for resilience: Concentrating connectivity through existing gateways creates a strategic vulnerability if a major cable or route is disrupted.
• Geopolitical risks: Instability in West Asia is encouraging companies to develop alternative connectivity routes through India's eastern coast.
• Route diversification: An east-coast gateway can provide an alternate path for international internet traffic, improving India's overall connectivity resilience.
Geographic Advantage of Visakhapatnam
• Visakhapatnam's strategic location on India's eastern coast positions it as a potential major hub for international digital connectivity, linking India with Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.
Subsea + Terrestrial Connectivity
The emerging hub is not limited to submarine cable landing stations.
• Subsea cables need extensive terrestrial fibre networks after reaching the shore.
• Thousands of kilometres of new fibre will be required to connect the landing stations with India's major metropolitan and technology centres.
• Lightstorm is considering a terrestrial corridor connecting:
o Machilipatnam–Mumbai–Hyderabad
o Chennai–Hyderabad–Mumbai
• Such connectivity would integrate the eastern coastal gateway with major inland data and technology centres.
Role of Data Centres and AI
• The rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is increasing demand for both data centres and high-capacity fibre connectivity.
• Google's planned Visakhapatnam facility is expected to focus on AI inference, rather than immediate power-intensive training operations.
• The facility is intended to serve domestic enterprises and government agencies.
• Growing AI adoption in government services is expected to create additional demand for local computing capacity and reliable connectivity.
