India Faces Supply Disruptions Amid US-Iran Conflict
The Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global shipping, is becoming a vulnerable corridor for undersea internet cables due to escalating tensions in West Asia. This passage handles about one-third of India's westward internet traffic, with limited rerouting options available. Ongoing cable repair operations have been disrupted since September 2025 due to security risks, affecting systems like Airtel’s SEA-ME-WE 4 and Flag Telecom’s FALCON cables. Last year's cuts disrupted approximately 17% of Asia-Gulf internet traffic. Industry experts warn that prolonged disruptions could impact India's goal to develop a $270 billion data centre ecosystem. New subsea cable projects, including those by Reliance Jio and Google, are underway, but the current geopolitical climate poses significant challenges to their execution.
Published 1 day ago • 06 Mar 2026, 05:58 AM IST