Israel-Iran tension: India's internet connectivity in danger, Arabian Sea's digital lifeline also in danger

The impact of the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran in West Asia will not be limited to the military and diplomatic sphere, but it can also have a direct impact on the internet connectivity of countries like India. This apprehension has been expressed by many internet service provider companies based in West Asia on various digital platforms.

India's global internet access is maintained through fiber optic cables laid under the Arabian Sea and a large part of this network passes through West Asia. In such a situation, if the war escalates, this digital lifeline may be in danger. If the conflict escalates, not only the Internet but many other communication networks can also be affected. West Asia acts as a sensitive digital corridor in the information and communication flow between Asia and Europe, including India.

India's internet veins pass under the sea.

A large part of India's international internet connectivity depends on submarine optical fiber cables (SOFCs), which connect to Europe, America, and other countries via the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. A major route of these cables passes through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea. If the war in and around Iraq intensifies, these sea routes could be in danger, which could adversely affect internet speed, data traffic, and transit time.

India's data traffic capacity may be limited.

In case of war, if navigation and maintenance activities in sea areas are disrupted or cables are damaged, India's data traffic capacity may be limited. This can especially affect international calls, video streaming, cloud services, and online transactions. Sometimes there are backup routes, but their capacity is limited and they cannot handle high traffic for long.