Ideas of India Samanth Subramanian on the Fragile and Resilient Technologies that Bind Us
Apr 23, 2026
Samanth Subramanian, journalist and author known for deep reporting on technology and geopolitics. He unpacks the fragility of undersea fiber cables and how tech giants shape that landscape. He explores geopolitical choke points, AI’s infrastructure risks, semiconductor bottlenecks, and the interplay of science and public life in Haldane’s story.
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Tonga Revealed How Fragile Periphery Connectivity Is
- Tonga’s volcanic eruption severed the island’s two connecting cables, exposing how single events can isolate a nation’s communications for extended periods.
- Samanth used Tonga to show how peripheral or lightly cabled places feel cable breaks far more than dense hubs like London or New York.
Big Tech Is Buying Ownership Of Subseas Cables
- Big tech firms (Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft) now fund and own a large share of new subsea cables to secure their data flows and cut latency.
- Two-thirds of new cables when the book was written were laid or financed by these four cash-rich companies.
Policy Is Forcing A Split In Cable Participation
- U.S. policy blocks Chinese firms from participating in cable systems where any American company is involved, which has delayed or stalled some projects.
- That policy risks bifurcating global infrastructure and limits choices for telecom purchasers and governments.
