Reliance Jio is creating the largest international submarine cable system centred on India, it said on Monday. The system will connect India eastbound to Singapore and beyond via the India-Asia-Xpress (IAX), and India westbound to the Middle East and Europe via India-Europe-Xpress (IEX).
“IAX and IEX will enhance the ability for consumer and enterprise users to access content and cloud services in and out of India,” said Jio.
Reliance Jio is collaborating with several key global partners and submarine cable supplier SubCom for the proper execution of the project. These underwater cable systems will interconnect, as well as, connect to the leading interexchange points and content hubs for the global extension of the service.
“For the first time in the history of fiber optic submarine telecommunications, these systems place India at the centre of the international network map, recognising India’s increased importance, staggering growth and the quantum shift in data use since the launch of Jio services in 2016”.
These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometers. The system will take advantage of open system technology and the latest wavelength switched RoADM/branching units.
“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,” said Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio.
“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”, Oommen added.
The IAX system will connect India to Asia Pacific markets with express connectivity from Mumbai and Chennai to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The IEX system on the other hand will connect India to Italy, landing in Savona, and additional landings in the Middle East and North Africa.
IAX is expected to be ready for service mid-2023 while IEX will be ready for service in early 2024, the company conveyed.