The Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) submarine cable systems project is expected to be completed by March 2020. The 2,300 km long undersea project is being implemented by Japan-based NEC Corporation. The work on the project is expected to commence by December 2019.

A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed between land-based stations to transmit telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea.

Earlier, the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) had placed an order with NEC Technologies India (NECTI) to design, engineer, supply, install, test and implement an optical submarine cable system connecting Chennai in Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. NEC Corporation, the parent company of NECTI, will manufacture optical submarine cable at its facility in Japan and provide technical assistance during turnkey implementation.

As of now, the submarine cable and repeaters cable have been manufactured and it will take another one year to be completed. Compared to satellites, using internet connection through submarine cables is more reliable, cost-efficient and of large capacity.

The cable systems will provide the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with sufficient bandwidth for supporting voice and data connectivity that enable the implementation of e-governance initiatives, such as the establishment of enterprises and e-commerce facilities.