PTI New Delhi

India's data transmission capacity is expected to grow four times with the activation of new submarine cables due in 2025 that connect the country to several key markets of the world, Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Friday. While speaking at a telecom industry event Digicom Summit, he said India plays a key role in the global submarine cable network as it hosts around 17 international subsea cables across 17 district landing stations. 

"As of the end of 2023, the total lit capacity and activity and activated capacity of these cables stood at 180 TBPS and 132 TBPS, respectively. Multiple next-generation systems are due to become operational in 2025, replacing ageing cables. Once the new systems are fully operational, India's data transmission capacity is projected to quadruple with additional crucial routes," Lahoti said. 

Lahoti said the contribution of the digital economy to the nation's GDP has grown to about 12% of the GDP which is estimated to reach 20% by 2026-27.

"Since the current growth rate of the digital economy is 2.8 times the GDP growth rate. Accordingly, the government aims for a USD 1 trillion digital economy by 2027-28. The Indian telecom sector, which is the backbone of a digital economy, has witnessed significant development in recent years, setting the stage for a transformative era given unprecedented data consumption, a vast user base, and a policy-type friendly environment. India continues to foster industry growth and digital connectivity," Lahoti said.