MIST Transit Cable

In News

• Recently, the union environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) matters has given its go-ahead for the construction of an 8,100km-long undersea, transnational fibre optic cable system connecting Mumbai to Singapore, via Chennai.

About MIST Transit Cable

• Project: The MIST is an international submarine cable communication network that will traverse undersea to connect India with countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
• Aim: It will provide secure, reliable, robust and affordable telecom facilities in Asia with the main trunk route being from Tuas in Singapore to Mumbai in India. 
• The project is officially known as the Myanmar/Malaysia-India-Singapore Transit (MIST) Submarine Cable System and is being executed by the global technology provider NEC Corp.
• This will be the 17th such optical fibre cable system to land in Mumbai and is expected to be ready for service sometime in 2023.
  • The 17 submarine cable projects mentioned above include six upcoming undersea cables which will connect with Mumbai between 2023 and 2025, including the MIST.

Submarine Cable:

• A submarine cable system consists of a communication cable laid on the sea bed between cable landing stations (CLS) on the land to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean.
  • Submarine cable systems generally use optical fibre cables to carry international traffic.

Issue:

• Out of a total project length of 8,100 km, 523.50 km fell in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

Significance:

• It will boost telecom connectivity between India and other Asian countries, namely Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Source: TH