The Australia India Institute has secured funding under the Australia–India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership to lead a new project examining vulnerabilities in submarine cable supply chains across the Indo-Pacific.
The initiative will deliver a Track 1.5 dialogue aimed at strengthening cooperation between Australia and India on digital infrastructure and regional connectivity.
Submarine cable networks carry about 99 per cent of global internet traffic and underpin the Indo-Pacific’s digital infrastructure. Despite their central role, supply chains supporting these systems face pressure from a limited concentration of manufacturers and repair providers as well as growing geopolitical risk.
The project will be led by Research Fellow Dr Samuel Bashfield in collaboration with the La Trobe Centre for Global Security at La Trobe University and the International Institute of Information Technology in Bangalore.
The research will examine three key areas: vulnerabilities affecting submarine cable networks across the Indo-Pacific, options for Australia and India to diversify dependencies in cable manufacturing, deployment and maintenance, and policy frameworks that could strengthen regional supply chain resilience.
The work builds on the Australia–India Cable Dialogue 2025 and will produce research publications, a Track 1.5 dialogue in India and a policy framework intended to support government decision making and industry practice across the region.
New Australia–India research will examine vulnerabilities in submarine cable networks across the Indo-Pacific, explore ways to diversify supply chains in cable manufacturing, deployment and maintenance, and develop policy frameworks to strengthen regional digital infrastructure resilience
Australia India Institute Chief Executive Officer Lisa Singh said the protection of undersea cable networks had become a central issue for regional connectivity.
“As tensions rise and geopolitics becomes more unpredictable, submarine cable networks are becoming increasingly contested,” she said.
“This groundbreaking research will inform policy development, and foster a prosperous and resilient Indo-Pacific region.”
Project lead Dr Bashfield said the infrastructure played a vital role in the functioning of modern digital systems.
“submarine cable networks are the backbone of our digital ecosystem, and vital for the functioning of our modern society,” he said.
“Australia and India are uniquely placed in the Indian Ocean to promote a resilient subsea mesh that underpins peace and prosperity.”
The project will form part of the Institute’s Seabed Program, which focuses on the security, governance and sustainability of undersea infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific.
For more information on the Institute’s Seabed Program, visit: https://aii.unimelb.edu.au/seabed-program/
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