Rising tensions in West Asia are putting critical undersea internet cables near the Strait of Hormuz at increasing risk, raising concerns about disruptions to global data traffic and India’s digital infrastructure ambitions.
Experts say the corridor carries nearly one-third of India’s westbound internet traffic, making it a vital route for international connectivity. However, ongoing conflict in the region has already disrupted repair operations on damaged subsea cables. Systems such as SEA-ME-WE 4, I-ME-WE, and Flag Telecom’s FALCON cables, which were cut near Jeddah in 2025, remain under repair as security risks prevent ships from operating safely.
The situation could worsen as several major projects are currently under development in the region. These include Reliance Jio’s India-Europe-Express and India-Asia-Express cables, as well as Google’s Dhivaru and Blue-Raman cable initiatives. The route had earlier been viewed as a safer alternative to the Red Sea, but growing geopolitical instability has raised new concerns.
Industry experts warn that prolonged disruption could impact India’s $270 billion data centre expansion plans and its ambition to become a global cloud services hub. Recent drone attacks on regional data centres, including facilities linked to Amazon Web Services, highlight the vulnerability of digital infrastructure during geopolitical conflicts.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
