New Delhi: Reliance Jio is building ‘largest’ under-Sea cable system. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (Jio) along with world-class submarine cable supplier SubCom and other global partners has been deploying two next generation cables. The initiative has been taken to cater to the exponential growth in the demand for data across the region. The largest international submarine cable system is centred on India, as per an IANS report.

What is Reliance Jio’s IAX, IEX System?

  • IAX stands for the India-Asia-Xpress system. IAX system connects India eastbound to Singapore and beyond.
  • IEX stands for the India-Europe-Xpress system connects India westbound to the Middle East and Europe.
  • To simplify, we say the IAX system connects India, the world’s fastest growing economy, to Asia Pacific markets with express connectivity from Mumbai and Chennai to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Similarly, the IEX system extends India’s connectivity to Italy, landing in Savona, and additional landings in the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Apart from the seamless connection of the IAX and IEX sub-sea systems, the two systems are also connected to the Reliance Jio Global Fiber Network beyond Asia Pacific and Europe, connecting to both the east and west coast of the USA.
  • IAX system is expected to be ready for service mid-2023.
  • IEX systme will be ready for service in early 2024.
  • Reliance Jio has affirmed that IAX and IEX will increase the ability for consumer and enterprise users to access content and cloud services in and out of India.

India at Center of International Network Map

Both IAX and IEX will place India at the center of the international network map for the first time in the history of fiber optic submarine telecommunications, Reliance Jio said.

These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometers. Employing open system technology and the latest wavelength switched RoADM/branching units ensures rapid upgrade deployment and the ultimate flexibility to add/drop waves across multiple locations, according to an IANS report.

“Jio is at the forefront of India’s explosive growth in digital services and data consumption. To meet the demands of Streaming Video, Remote Workforce, 5G, IoT, and beyond, Jio is taking a leadership role in the construction of the first of its kind, India-centric IAX and IEX subsea systems,” said Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio. “Implementing these critical initiatives in the shadow of a global pandemic is a challenge, but the ongoing pandemic has only accelerated the digital transformation and the necessity of high-performance global connectivity for the delivery of a richer experience to enterprises and consumers,” he said.