Bilateral U.S.-India Trade and Technology Collaboration

The commercial engagement between India and the United States is intensifying, focusing on strategic sectors and technology supply chain diversification. This effort includes refining the Technology for Resilient, Open and Unified Security and Trust (TRUST) framework, a successor to the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

Subsea Cables and Strategic Importance

• Subsea cables are crucial, carrying over 95% of international data traffic.
• China's expansion in subsea infrastructure highlights the need for trusted alternatives.
• The TRUST framework emphasizes India's role in subsea cable development in the Indo-Pacific.
• India currently hosts around 17 subsea cables, with ongoing construction to increase this number.

India's Strategic Advantages

• India's geographical position makes it a natural hub for global cable networks.
• Critical maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Malacca enhance its strategic position.
• India's bandwidth requirement is expected to grow by 38% from 2021 to 2028.

Challenges and Recommendations

• The licensing process for undersea cables in India involves over 50 clearances.
• India relies on foreign-flagged cable repair ships, causing delays in outage responses.
• Reforming the licensing regime and developing a domestic repair ecosystem are essential steps.

Role of the United States

• The U.S. is encouraged to invest in digital infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific.
• Meta's investment in a 50,000-kilometre undersea cable project aims to boost connectivity in the Indian Ocean.
• Enhanced subsea cable collaboration is crucial for the broader U.S.-India trade deal.