Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 11 August 2025
On 10 August 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chennai–Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) Submarine Optical Fiber Cable in a virtual ceremony. For the residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it marked not just the launch of a telecom project, but the beginning of a new era.
Five years later, the CANI cable stands as a shining example of what happens when public money is spent wisely — an asset so indispensable that life on the islands would be unimaginable without it.
Before CANI: Life in Digital Darkness:
The pre-CANI era was defined by slow, unreliable, and outrageously expensive internet. Getting a stable 512 kbps connection at home or in the office felt like chasing a mirage. Mobile data, despite the much-publicised 4G launches, was a cruel joke — the signal bars mocked users with their emptiness.
Securing a BSNL broadband connection required more than just an application; it often demanded connections to “people in high places” who could recommend your name. And even then, the service came with the highest broadband tariffs in the entire country. Bills running into tens of thousands of rupees were common, justified by BSNL on the grounds that satellite bandwidth was “extremely costly.”
For remote islands, the situation was even worse. Many had no broadband at all, and mobile data simply didn’t work. Residents lived perpetually offline, dependent on sporadic and unreliable phone calls to connect with loved ones.
The Turning Point:
In the months leading up to the CANI launch, BSNL began rolling out Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections, a move that hinted at better days ahead. But it was only after 10 August 2020 that the transformation truly began.
Suddenly, FTTH broadband speeds soared. Mobile data across different telecom providers began to function properly. Internet access was no longer a scarce luxury but a service available to anyone who needed it.
Competition followed. Airtel entered the broadband market in Sri Vijaya Puram, forcing BSNL to slash its tariffs. Installation became effortless — a phone call was enough to have technicians at your doorstep.
A Lifeline, Not Just a Cable:
Today, the CANI cable is more than an infrastructure project; it’s the lifeblood of the islands. A single hour of downtime can cause near paralysis across businesses, government offices, educational institutions, and even healthcare services.
For residents who remember the struggles of the pre-CANI era, the difference is night and day. Yet, as the years pass, many have begun to forget just how hard life once was. The memory of dropped calls, buffering videos, and endless loading screens is fading — but it is worth holding onto if only to appreciate the connectivity we enjoy today.
A Lesson in Good Governance — and a Reminder of Unfinished Work:
The success of CANI stands in stark contrast to other large-scale projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — projects like the NH-4 or consistent electricity supply in South Andaman, which have been plagued by delays and inefficiencies. CANI proves that when money is spent correctly, the outcome can be transformative.
Yet, not all is perfect. Five years on, significant gaps remain. Many islands and villages still suffer from poor telecom connectivity. Remote locations not linked to CANI continue to experience the same digital isolation that the main islands left behind in 2020.
It is a bittersweet reality — while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands today stand on par with mainland India in terms of telecom connectivity, this equality has not yet reached every corner of the Union Territory.
Five years after its inauguration, the CANI Submarine Optical Fiber Cable is more than just a cable beneath the sea — it is a lifeline, a bridge to the outside world, and a reminder of what’s possible when ambition meets execution. But it is also a call to action, urging the authorities to ensure that every islander, no matter how remote, can share in the digital future it promised.
