India Plans Faster Subsea Cable Repair Clearances

Danish Khan, Moneycontrol
August 25, 2026

India’s Department of Telecommunications is developing a single-window portal intended to reduce delays in approvals for submarine cable repairs. The proposed platform would bring agencies involved in the clearance process onto one system, including shipping authorities, the Coast Guard and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Telecom operators are affected by cable faults, but many repair permissions currently sit with other government bodies.

The department expects to complete a proposal for the portal in about two months. After that, the plan would move through approvals, procurement, tendering and implementation. An information technology agency under the Centre for Development of Telematics is expected to participate, with March 2027 identified as a tentative implementation target.

DoT is also discussing the development of domestic repair capability with industry and the Directorate General of Shipping. India does not currently have a dedicated submarine cable repair vessel and relies on foreign resources, which can increase costs and extend restoration times when suitable vessels are unavailable or operating elsewhere. Building a domestic ecosystem would require investment in a specialized vessel and supporting infrastructure.

The initiative comes as international cable routes face operational and geopolitical risks. Multiple Red Sea cable faults in 2024 affected systems between Asia and Europe, although Indian operators largely mitigated the impact by rerouting traffic. A faster domestic clearance process and locally based repair resources could reduce the time needed to respond when future faults affect cables serving India.

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