Reliance Jio to construct largest international submarine cable system connecting India

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm is constructing the largest international submarine cable system centered on India. The mobile broadband digital service provider is working with several key global partners and submarine cable supplier SubCom is currently deploying two next generation cables to support data demand growth across the region.

The India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) system will connect India to Singapore and beyond, while the India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) system will connect India to the Middle East and Europe. The IAX system will have express connectivity from Mumbai and Chennai to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The IEX system will extend India's connectivity to Italy, landing in Savona, with additional landings in the Middle East and North Africa.

Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio said, "To meet the demands of Streaming Video, Remote Workforce, 5G, IoT, and beyond, Jio is taking a leadership role in the construction of the first of its kind, India-centric IAX and IEX subsea systems. Implementing these critical initiatives in the shadow of a global pandemic is a challenge, but the ongoing pandemic has only accelerated the digital transformation and the necessity of high-performance global connectivity for the delivery of a richer experience to enterprises and consumers."

WHAT WILL THE SUBMARINE CABLES DO?

The systems will interconnect the world's top interexchange points and content hubs for extension of service. IAX and IEX will enhance the ability for consumer and enterprise users to access content and cloud services in and out of India, the company said.

"These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometers. Employing open system technology and the latest wavelength switched RoADM/branching units ensures rapid upgrade deployment and the ultimate flexibility to add/drop waves across multiple locations," said Reliance Jio in a statement.

The company said that for the first time in the history of fiber optic  submarine telecommunications, these systems place India at the centre of the international network map.

The two systems are also connected to the Reliance Jio Global Fiber Network beyond Asia Pacific and Europe. IAX is expected to be ready for service mid-2023, while IEX will be ready for service in early 2024.

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