A reminder from the Baltic on securing undersea cables

Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea have thrust submarine cable security into the spotlight.

- Abhijit Singh

Two undersea fibre-optic cables—one linking Finland to Germany and another connecting Lithuania to Sweden—were severed a few days ago, causing significant communication disruptions. Finland and Germany, in a joint statement, acknowledged the incidents and hinted at the possibility of sabotage. Speculation intensified with reports that the ship suspected of damaging the Finland-Germany cable was of Chinese origin, adding an element of intrigue to the unfolding narrative. This development comes a few days after a Russian intelligence vessel was spotted near critical subsea cables and pipelines in the Irish Sea, heightening concerns of deliberate hybrid attacks. Amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating geopolitical tensions, observers say a spectre of State-sponsored sabotage looms ominously over Europe's critical maritime infrastructure.

The trans-Atlantic strategic community's concern is justified. Undersea cables are the unseen lifelines of global communications, carrying over 99% of international data traffic and enabling vital financial transactions and secure communications. These cables form the backbone of the internet, yet despite their critical importance, they remain largely unprotected and vulnerable to both accidental damage and intentional sabotage. The Baltic incidents serve as a stark reminder of their fragility, underscoring the growing risks to essential public infrastructure in an era of geopolitical contestation.