Why the Strait of Hormuz matters for India’s internet

The Strait of Hormuz has always been framed as an energy risk. Nearly a fifth of global oil and a quarter of LNG flows through this narrow stretch.

But beneath the tankers lies something just as critical. The internet.

Beneath these waters runs a web of submarine internet cables that carry the bulk of global data traffic. If tensions in the region escalate into deliberate disruption, the impact won’t just be higher fuel prices, it could mean a sudden slowdown of the internet itself.

Why internet cables matter more than satellites

Despite popular perception, the global internet does not run on satellites. Nearly 95-97% of global data, from WhatsApp calls and Netflix streams to banking transactions and military communication, travels through fibre optic cables laid on the ocean floor.

These cables connect India to Europe, West Asia and the rest of the world, forming the backbone of the global digital economy. To be sure, satellites handle only a tiny fraction of traffic.

That’s what makes the Hormuz region uniquely sensitive: it is not just an energy chokepoint, but a digital one.

Why the Strait of Hormuz is a digital chokepoint

The waters around the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman host some of the world’s busiest internet routes, especially the Asia-Europe corridor.

Key cable systems like SEA-ME-WE, AAE-1, EIG and IMEWE pass through or near this region. These cables carry massive volumes of data between India, Europe, Africa and West Asia.

A coordinated disruption of even a few of these systems could choke global internet traffic, particularly for countries like India that rely heavily on these routes.

Why India is especially vulnerable

India is among the most exposed large economies in such a scenario. A majority of India’s international internet bandwidth flows through cables in the Arabian Sea and Gulf region. A disruption near the Strait of Hormuz would directly hit these routes.

Latency, the time data takes to travel, could jump sharply if traffic is rerouted via longer Pacific routes. This would impact everything from video calls to enterprise systems.

For internet users in India, this could mean slower access to global platforms like YouTube, Instagram and international services. Even if the internet doesn’t go down, it could feel significantly slow.

International systems like SWIFT, cross-border payments and remittances, especially from the Gulf, could also slow down.

India’s $250 billion IT and outsourcing sector also depends on seamless global connectivity. From cloud deployments to real-time calls with clients in the US and Europe, everything runs on low-latency networks. A disruption could lead to productivity losses, missed service agreements, and even financial penalties for Indian firms.

What happens if cables are cut?

If cables are damaged, internet traffic is automatically rerouted. But this comes at a cost.

Users across India could see slower speeds, buffering videos, patchy video calls and lag in cloud services. Financial systems that depend on fast connectivity, like stock trading, could face disruptions.

As congestion builds, cloud services such as AWS, Azure and Google Cloud could face partial outages or delays.  

Countries would rush to build alternate cable routes and invest in satellite backups. The crisis could trigger a geopolitical race to control digital infrastructure, much like oil in the 20th century.

But can the internet be shut down completely?

A total blackout is unlikely. The internet is designed to reroute traffic around damage. Alternate cables and satellite systems provide some backup.

But that doesn’t mean things will work normally. Even partial disruption can overload alternate routes, increase delays and degrade performance.