Meta to invest in multi-billion undersea cable project to strengthen global digital highways in the Indian Ocean region

Meta on Friday announced a multi-billion, multi-year investment in an undersea cable project that will begin work this year and support greater Indian Ocean connectivity, as per a US-India joint leader’s statement from the White House. The project will ultimately stretch over 50,000 km to connect five continents and strengthen global digital highways in the Indian Ocean region and beyond.“India intends to invest in maintenance, repair and financing of undersea cables in the Indian Ocean, using trusted vendors,” the statement said.

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been on his two-day visit to the US, where he also met Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

“Meta investing in India – one of its largest markets – and bringing the world’s longest, highest capacity and most technologically advanced subsea cable project to connect India, the US, and other locations,” a Meta spokesperson told ET. “This new, multi-billion dollar investment will stretch over 50,000 km to connect five continents, enhancing the scale and reliability of the global digital highways that power Meta’s apps and services, and will be ready for service at the end of the decade.”

The spokesperson added that with India’s growing demand for digital services, the investment reaffirms Meta’s commitment to “economic growth, resilient infrastructure, and digital inclusion, supporting India’s thriving digital landscape and fostering technological innovation.”

The White House said that the leaders of both nations pledged to accelerate defense technology cooperation across space, air defense, missile, maritime and undersea technologies, with the US announcing a review of its policy on releasing fifth generation fighters and undersea systems to India.

“The US appreciates India’s role as a developmental, humanitarian assistance and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region,” the White House said. “In this context, the leaders committed to deepen bilateral dialogue and cooperation across the vast Indian Ocean region and launched the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture, a new bilateral, whole-of-government forum to advance coordinated investments in economic connectivity and commerce.”