Telecom Infra Makers Demand Local Tech for KLI Submarine Cable

Telecom Infra manufacturers have demanded to source the technology required for the KLI undersea project from the country on Tuesday. For that, they have approached the Department of Telecommunications concerning the same. The INR 1,072 Crore project is an ambitious one for the telecom infra makers and it is a matter of prestige to be participating in the same.

Need of Telecom Infra in Lakshadweep

For some context, the KLI, or Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Undersea Cable, is a project approved by the Cabinet on 9th December. This project aims at bolstering the availability of telecom and broadband in the UT. The strategic position of the island chain is also very well known by the Indian Government. The island chain of 32 covers a total of more than 400,000 square kilometers in its Exclusive Economic Zone and has territorial waters of 20,000 square kilometers. This and the fact that Arabian Sea is one of the busiest bodies of water in the world make Lakshadweep so much more important, particularly from an economic standpoint. This importance is why the need to upgrade the telecom capabilities of the otherwise scantly populated island chain has arisen.

Proposed Route of the Cable

The route the cable will follow is in the image below.

The estimated distance covered would be around 2,000 kilometers. The optical fiber cable will bring high speed connectivity to not just the islands but the entirety of the western seaboard. That is, the major cities on the western coast of the country will benefit from this.

The Demand of Telecom Infra Makers

The Chairman Emiratus of TEMA, NK Goyal told PTI that it was about the type of cable to be used. The repeater cable is the choice at the moment and it is expensive and limited in the country. Goyal noted that it will "a foreign vendor winning the project because the choice is limited".  The repeaterless cables will be not only more readily available in the country but also 30% cheaper than the other cable. The body has noted that this request is in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat call of the Prime Minister.

The telecom infra manufacturers, in short, demanded more of a chance of participation in the scheme.