3 min readSep 7, 2025 01:32 PM IST
First published on: Sep 7, 2025 at 11:25 AM IST
Undersea cable damage in the Red Sea has slowed internet access across several countries in Asia and the Middle East, including India and Pakistan, according to reports cited by the Associated Press (AP).
Monitoring group NetBlocks reported that “a series of subsea cable outages in the Red Sea has degraded internet connectivity in multiple countries,” specifically naming India and Pakistan among those affected.
Microsoft also confirmed that its Azure cloud service experienced disruptions, warning users of “increased latency” on routes passing through the Middle East. In a status update, the company said: “We do expect higher latency on some traffic that previously traversed through the Middle East. Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted. We’ll continue to provide daily updates, or sooner if conditions change.”
The disruption was linked to failures in the South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 (SMW4) cable, operated by Tata Communications, and the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) cable, run by a consortium managed by Alcatel-Lucent. Neither company immediately responded to requests for comment, AP reported.
Pakistan Telecommunications Co Ltd confirmed the cuts in a public statement. Meanwhile, users in the United Arab Emirates also complained of slower connections on state-owned Du and Etisalat networks.
What caused the damage?
Subsea cables form a backbone of global internet connectivity, reported AP. They can be damaged accidentally, for example by ship anchors, but can also be deliberately targeted. Repairs typically take weeks, requiring specialised ships and crews.
The incident comes amid rising tensions in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have attacked commercial shipping in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza.
While Yemen’s exiled government previously accused the Houthis of plotting to strike undersea cables, the group has denied responsibility. On Sunday, the Houthis’ al-Masirah TV acknowledged the cable cuts had occurred, citing NetBlocks, but stopped short of claiming involvement.
The Red Sea has become a flashpoint in recent months. From late 2023 through 2024, Houthi forces targeted more than 100 ships, sinking four and killing at least eight mariners, according to AP. The US and its allies have carried out retaliatory strikes, while Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas.
(With inputs from Reuters, AP)
Undersea cables are one of the backbones of the internet, along with satellite connections and land-based cables. 
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