Quad countries, comprising of the US, Australia, Japan and India, discussed securing and expanding underwater communication cables amid a rising threat of sabotage and cyber attacks, the US embassy in India said in a statement.
“Together, we are working to enhance secure connectivity and support innovation and economic growth across the Indo-Pacific region,” US Charge d’Affaires in India Jorgan Andrews said at an event New Delhi Wednesday.
Majority of all Internet communication is routed through submarine cables making them critical to connectivity and economic growth. India alone accounts for nearly one fifth of all global traffic.
Quad foreign ministers in their meeting earlier this month had identified the security of submarine cables as a key area for cooperation, according to a July 1 statement from US State Department.
Representatives of the four countries and industry leaders met in New Delhi to discuss how to protect and strengthen India’s cable infrastructure, regulatory reforms and “enhanced maintenance and repair capacity,” according to the statement. Bloomberg