Project Waterworth: Meta’s 50,000 km undersea cable to link India-US

New Delhi: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced Project Waterworth, a massive 50,000 km undersea cable initiative aimed at enhancing digital connectivity between India and the United States.

According to Meta, the project will provide industry-leading connectivity not only to India and the US but also to Brazil, South Africa, and other key global regions. "Project Waterworth will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions," the company stated.

Upon completion, the subsea cable network will span five major continents, exceeding the Earth's circumference and becoming the world’s longest subsea cable project. It will utilize the highest-capacity technology available to ensure seamless global connectivity.

In a blog post, Meta highlighted its first-of-its-kind routing techniques, maximizing cable placement in deep waters at depths of up to 7,000 meters while employing advanced burial methods in high-risk fault areas, such as shallow coastal waters, to prevent damage from ship anchors and other hazards.

Project Waterworth represents a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year investment aimed at strengthening the reliability and scale of the world’s digital highways. It will establish three new oceanic corridors, providing the high-speed connectivity essential for AI innovation worldwide. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this decade.

Meta emphasized that India’s growing demand for digital services has been a key driver behind this initiative. "This investment reaffirms Meta's commitment to economic growth, resilient infrastructure, and digital inclusion, supporting India's thriving digital landscape and fostering technological innovation," a company spokesperson said.

Subsea cable networks serve as the backbone of global digital infrastructure, facilitating over 95% of intercontinental traffic across the world’s oceans. They play a crucial role in enabling digital communication, video experiences, online transactions, and other essential services in the modern digital economy.

With IANS inputs