Context: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently issued the recommendations on ‘Licensing Framework and Regulatory Mechanism for Submarine Cable Landing in India’.

About the Submarine cables

• Submarine cables are vital digital communication infrastructure of today’s global economy.

• Submarine cables are the lifelines of any country’s communication grid, empowering its business and economic operations.

• The web of these cables traverses the maritime zones of several countries, connecting people and businesses across the globe.

Issues related to submarine cables

• Need for Indian Flagged vessel for submarine cable operation and maintenance

• Enabling provisions for domestic submarine cable between two or more cities on the coastline of India

• Stub-cables, concept of placing pre-laid “dark fiber” from the Cable Landing Stations through Beach Manhole (BMH) into the territorial waters for upcoming new cables

• Clarity on terrestrial connectivity between different Cable Landing Stations.

Key features of the recommendations

Cable Landing Station

• There shall be two categories of Cable Landing Station (CLS) locations: (a) Main CLS and (b) CLS Point of Presence (CLS-PoPs). 

• The Owner of the Main CLS would seek all the permissions related to the submarine cable landing in their CLS in India while the owners of CLS-PoPs will not be required to seek such permissions/clearances. 

• Owner of CLS-PoPs will have to fulfil all security and regulatory or license obligation including establishment of LIM facility.

• CLS-PoPs will have to inform Licensor/TRAI about all CLS-PoP locations and their owners.

ILD or ISP licensees

• International Long-Distance (ILD) or ISP (Internet service provider) Category ‘A’ (with International Internet Gateway) licensees can get access and extend their owned or leased dark fiber pair in the submarine cable from the main CLS to their respective CLS-PoP location.

• Such licenses should submit an undertaking that they own and control the asset in Indian Territorial Waters (ITW) and at CLS.  

Indian flagged vessel for submarine cable operation and maintenance

• Department of Telecom (DoT) should constitute a committee to study and recommend different financial viability models for Indian Flagged Repair Vessels including possible incentives from Government.

• Cable Depot should be identified in both west and east coastline for storing submarine cable and the necessary equipment or kit for carrying out cable repairs.

• The proposed Committee should suggest ways and means to facilitate and incentivise (same status of SEZs and Land) setting up of these ‘Cable Depots’.

• The crew members in the survey or repair vessel for submarine laying and repair work having valid work permit of India may be exempted from obtaining clearances repeatedly during permit period.

Domestic submarine cables

• Domestic submarine cables connecting two or more cities on the Indian coastline and to set up CLS for such cables be allowed under National Long Distance (NLD) License.

• International Submarine Cable shall be allowed to carry domestic traffic on dedicated fibre pairs that are provisioned between two Indian cities.

• Licensee should ensure that such traffic is not transited or routed through any other country outside India.

Other issues

• This critical communication infrastructure may be notified as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) under National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).

• Exempt custom duty and GST on the goods and items required for CLS, and submarine operation and maintenance. 

• The clearances related to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Coastal Region Zone (CRZ) required for SMC and CLS may also be made online as a part of Saral Sanchar portal.

• Submarine cable being a critical asset, a section should be added in the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 to protect CLS and ’submarine cable’ in India.