Meta’s 50,000 Km undersea cable project to enhance India-US’ digital connectivity

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp parent company Meta announced a new 50,000 Km undersea cable project 'Waterworth' to enhance digital connectivity between India and the US

New Delhi: Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp parent company Meta announced a new 50,000 Km undersea cable project ‘Waterworth’ to enhance digital connectivity between India and the US.

According to the Meta, Project Waterworth will bring industry-leading connectivity to the US, India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions. “The project Waterworth will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions,” the company added.

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Once the project is complete, it will reach five major continents and span over 50,000 km (longer than the Earth’s circumference), making it the world’s longest subsea cable project using the highest-capacity technology available.

Meta said in a blog post, “We are also deploying first-of-its-kind routing, maximising the cable laid in deep water – at depths up to 7,000 meters – and using enhanced burial techniques in high-risk fault areas, such as shallow waters near the coast, to avoid damage from ship anchors and other hazards.”

Project Waterworth will be a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year investment to strengthen the scale and reliability of the world’s digital highways by opening three new oceanic corridors with the abundant, high-speed connectivity needed to drive AI innovation around the world. This project will be completed by the end of this decade.

“Driven by India’s growing demand for digital services, this investment reaffirms Meta’s commitment to economic growth, resilient infrastructure, and digital inclusion, supporting India’s thriving digital landscape and fostering technological innovation,” Meta’s official spokesperson said.

Subsea cable projects are the backbone of global digital infrastructure, accounting for more than 95 per cent of intercontinental traffic across the world’s oceans to seamlessly enable digital communication, video experiences, online transactions, and more.