Indo-Pacific nations bolstering defense of undersea cables against emerging vulnerabilities

Tom Abke

Data is omnipresent, and undersea cables are vital for transmitting everything from voice and video to financial transactions and confidential government communications. Recent incidents have highlighted their vulnerabilities, however, prompting Indo-Pacific nations to launch collaborative efforts such as the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, while also strengthening their individual capacity to monitor, protect and repair the critical infrastructure.

In April 2023, the 12,000 residents of Taiwan’s Matsu Islands near the People’s Republic of China (PRC) suddenly found themselves without internet access. Two undersea cables connecting the archipelago with Taiwan’s main island had been cut, possibly by Chinese vessels, The Associated Press reported. It wasn’t determined whether the disruption was accidental or deliberate.

The Indo-Pacific has led the world in undersea cable projects in recent years, according to the University of Hawaii’s Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs. Submarine cables, meanwhile, have frequently been targets during conflict, Dr. Motohiro Tsuchiya, vice president for global engagement and information technology at Japan’s Keio University, said during a May 2024 panel discussion hosted by the center.

“These cables are playing an important role, so during wars those cables have been disconnected and sometimes destroyed, and so we have to worry about the same today,” he said.

The Quad partnership of Australia, India, Japan and the United States is bolstering the security and resilience of undersea communication cables in the region by enhancing coordination and collaboration on infrastructure development and protection measures. The initiative, launched in May 2023, focuses on sharing information, improving cable repair capabilities, and developing common standards to safeguard the infrastructure from physical and cyber threats.

By leveraging members’ expertise and resources, the Quad seeks to ensure the continuous and secure operation of undersea cables.

“The Quad partnership aims to focus on strengthening ‘cable systems in the Indo-Pacific, drawing on Quad countries’ expertise in manufacturing, delivering and maintaining cable infrastructure,’” Asha Hemrajani, a senior fellow at the Centre of Excellence for National Security at Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), wrote in a November 2023 essay published by RSIS.

“Each country in the Quad will contribute to the programme,” she wrote. “Australia will establish the Indo-Pacific Cable Connectivity and Resilience Programme to ‘share best practice and provide technical assistance to Indo-Pacific governments.’”

In late July 2024, Australia launched the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre, with plans to invest about $12 million over four years. “The Centre is an important Australian contribution to the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, which is an important demonstration of the Quad’s delivery in the region, responding to the Indo-Pacific’s most pressing challenges,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

Australia, Japan and the U.S. also have committed to financing construction of undersea cable systems in the Indo-Pacific, including in Micronesia, in part to counter the PRC’s attempts to gain influence in the region via technology infrastructure projects, which have raised concerns over potential digital surveillance.

All four Quad members also are developing technology to counter threats to undersea cables, including autonomous underwater vehicles that can patrol cable routes, the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, a New Delhi-based think tank reported. The uncrewed submarines can be equipped with sensors and cameras to detect and monitor activities around the cables, identifying suspicious movements or potential threats.

Tom Abke is a FORUM correspondent reporting from Singapore.