With global data flows becoming ever more critical to economies and security, maritime experts from India, the European Union and key Indian Ocean states will meet in New Delhi on 5 December to develop stronger safeguards for undersea cable networks.
The workshop, bringing together around 70 naval and coast guard officers and civil specialists, will focus on emerging risks to submarine infrastructure and on strategies to enhance resilience across the Indian Ocean region.
The meeting marks a significant step in the expanding EU–India maritime security partnership. It comes at a time when both sides are working to protect digital lifelines that carry almost all intercontinental internet traffic, yet remain vulnerable to accidental damage, sabotage and geopolitical tensions.
Experts will assess regional vulnerabilities, share operational best practices and identify technology-based and policy-driven solutions to protect seabed cables that enable global commerce, secure communications and economic growth.
Organised jointly by India’s National Maritime Foundation (NMF) and the European Union through its ESIWA+ security initiative, the forum builds on outcomes from the 4th EU–India Dialogue on Maritime Security and recent ministerial discussions held in Brussels.
Participants from Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Oman and the Seychelles will also contribute to a broader regional approach.
EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin stated that securing submarine cable routes has become central to the EU–India strategic agenda. He noted that the EU’s Cable Security Action Plan offers a framework for deeper cooperation with partners such as India, particularly as connectivity between Europe and the Indo-Pacific continues to expand through new digital corridors.
Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan (Retd), Director-General of the NMF, said the workshop will help advance coordinated regional efforts to guard critical underwater infrastructure. He said that boosting surveillance, enhancing information-sharing and building rapid-response mechanisms remain key priorities for protecting assets that underpin national sovereignty and economic stability.
The EU already contributes to maritime safety in the wider region through its Operation Atlanta and Operation Aspides, which support stability across vital shipping lanes in the north-west Indian Ocean.
Europe-Africa-India
The workshop also aligns with expanding EU–India cooperation under the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). As part of this initiative, the EU is advancing a new EU–Africa–India Digital Corridor, which includes the 11,700-km Blue Raman submarine cable system.
The route is designed to provide ultra-fast, secure and diversified data connectivity from Europe to India via the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Eastern Africa. By introducing new redundancy and resilience into the global network, the project is expected to reduce the risks of disruption caused by environmental events or hostile actions.
