Attendees at the CCRC’s Promoting Digital Connectivity: Secure and Resilient Undersea Cables in South Asia workshop in October 2026.
Government representatives from South Asia and the Indian Ocean region met in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 1–2 October 2026 for the Promoting Digital Connectivity: Secure and Resilient Undersea Cables in South Asia workshop.
Hosted by Australia’s Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre (CCRC), the two-day workshop brought together representatives from Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, South Africa and Sri Lanka, with observers from Australia, Japan and the United States to share national and regional experience and consider practical approaches to cable planning, protection and management.
As demand for digital connectivity continues to grow across South Asia and the Indian Ocean, governments are increasingly focused on ensuring that subsea cable networks are secure, resilient and able to support long-term economic and digital development. This requires not only investment in infrastructure, but also effective policy, regulatory and operational frameworks that support cable protection, maintenance and timely repair.
Delegates worked through practical scenarios on cable resilience and shared their experiences at both the national and regional level.
The workshop gave participants an opportunity to share national and regional experience and consider practical approaches to cable planning, protection and management. Workshop sessions covered risks and opportunities for digital connectivity in South Asia, cable protection zones, policing and enforcement, permitting and maritime access, investment considerations, and factors that influence cable damage and repair, building on the CCRC’s Best Practice Toolkit.
Group exercises gave delegates an opportunity to work through practical scenarios involving competing uses of the seabed and decisions about cable repair. Discussions highlighted the value of clear responsibilities, efficient permitting, cooperation between government and industry, and regional coordination.
The workshop is part of the CCRC’s work with governments and industry across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen secure, resilient and reliable subsea cable connectivity. The insights and priorities identified will inform continued engagement with regional partners.