India-US cooperation on undersea tech reflects a growing alignment to safeguard digital infrastructure, deter threats, and shape Indo-Pacific stability.
Image Source: Serg Myshkovsky/ via Getty Images
Undersea capabilities, though a long-standing critical component of deterrence, have acquired a new dimension in strategic competition among major powers—especially with newer and more sophisticated technologies. The shifting geopolitical settings in the Indo-Pacific—particularly with China’s increasing capabilities in underwater warfare—have renewed focus on great power competition in the underwater domain. Emerging technologies such as drones and surveillance platforms have eroded the comparative advantage of large surface ships over underwater systems, potentially reshaping naval warfare. As this space becomes central to maritime security, the integration of advanced technologies into nuclear-powered submarines, autonomous systems, and seabed surveillance infrastructure is no longer optional but a strategic imperative for maintaining deterrence. The strategic contestation in the Indo-Pacific has evolved drastically over the decade. Maritime security and power have traditionally revolved around the understanding of visible assets such as naval fleets, bases, and aircraft carriers. Deterrence today is increasingly rooted in what escapes the eye—the undersea domain. Undersea cables are now considered an important part of great power competition, which pack various new dimensions. With over 95 percent of global internet traffic through subsea cables, competition in the underwater domain is no longer limited to power projection but also includes infrastructural development and strategic presence. Undersea deterrence entails protecting critical infrastructure such as submarine communication cables, which transmit over 95 percent of global internet traffic and data. Their growing vulnerability has been exemplified in incidents such as the suspected sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, signalling the emergence of a new grey-zone conflict arena.
The most pronounced aspect of underwater competition is currently playing out between the two great powers—the United States (US) and China. While the US and China maintain sizable submarine fleets—14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) for the US and around six for China, including newer nuclear-powered vessels—their competition now extends beyond mere hull count. This is evident in China’s development and expansion of an undersea data centre in the South China Sea which indicates the fusion of military and surveillance capabilities. Similarly, Microsoft’s Project Natick exemplifies how critical data and connectivity are redefining undersea strategies.
China’s initiatives, such as the Underwater Great Wall project—under development since 2015 and focused on the South China Sea—reflect Beijing’s long-term strategic ambitions. While rooted in regional waters, these advancements are being increasingly viewed by Washington as strategic spillover effects in the broader Indo-Pacific. Over the past decade, Chinese research vessels have attempted to collect data in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), raising concerns over undersea mapping. Complementing these efforts is the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, which China is experimenting with to establish a network of seabed sensors and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)—a system dubbed the ‘Underwater BeiDou’. This integration of space-based and undersea surveillance technologies, along with reports of China’s secretive development of five extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) designs, signals China’s accelerating advancements in the undersea. While the US remains ahead in XLUUV developments with systems such as the Boeing Orca XLUUV, its concerns around China’s developments have heightened, especially since these raise concerns over the grey-zone tactics. The US sources also suggest China’s aspirations to be operational around the entirety of the global maritime domain.
The strategic race beneath the waves also includes contestations over information flows. As digital infrastructure expands, subsea cables have emerged to be both vital assets and potential fault lines in the geopolitical competition.
The strategic race beneath the waves also includes contestations over information flows. As digital infrastructure expands, subsea cables have emerged to be both vital assets and potential fault lines in the geopolitical competition. With China’s entry, spearheaded by state-owned firms such as HMN Tech, a new competitive perception has emerged in this area. Beijing has developed compact deep-sea cable vessels for undersea operations integrated with advanced submersibles such as Fendouzhe and Haidou. Additionally, China’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled localisation algorithms and robotics systems capable of magnetic detection and precision targeting has expanded its grey-zone tactics in the undersea domain. On the other hand, the US has strengthened its Integrated Undersea Surveillance Systems (IUSS) and deployed UUVs and AUVs for monitoring and protection. With dual-use sensor technologies, cable burial, and real-time measurements, Washington has emphasised redundancy and deterrence. However, the US fears that undersea cables are especially vulnerable to espionage from Chinese repair ships. These concerns escalated when US officials privately warned companies such as Google and Meta about S.B. Submarine Systems—a Chinese repair firm whose vessels Fu Hai and Bold Maverick, reportedly disappeared from satellite tracking for days while operating near key Pacific cables. Though explanations about the disappearance might vary, the pattern intensified fears of covert tampering. While unconfirmed, China’s suspected development of cable-cutting protocols underscores the potential for techno-strategic conflict in the undersea domain.
Recognising the urgency, India—whose maritime security is closely linked to the Indo-Pacific—has revolved around expanding its undersea deterrence capabilities and deepening key partnerships in this domain, led by its promise of cooperation with the US. As these concerns have heightened, resident countries in the Indo-Pacific including India, have grown cautious towards Beijing’s growing underwater capabilities and have emphasised the need for heightened underwater domain awareness (UDA), particularly in the Indian Ocean.
Investments in UDA initiatives including seabed monitoring and public-private collaborations with the US could enhance India’s role as a key Indo-Pacific actor. The establishment of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) under the Indo-US strategic framework establishes this convergence, enabling the co-development of autonomous undersea technologies aimed at scaling industrial partnerships. The partnership between Anduril Industries and Mahindra Group highlights the deployment of next-generation autonomous systems such as the incorporation of AI into Unmanned Aerial System technologies aligned with C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities. While Anduril’s platforms including Dive-LD, Dive-XL, Copperhead, and Seabed Sentry could bring advanced underwater capabilities in monitoring, surveillance, and sensing, Mahindra Group’s expertise in naval electronics, Autonomous Maritime Systems, advanced AI-enabled Counter Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) technologies, and innovative Command and Control (C2) software could significantly boost capacity and usher a new era of interoperability. The Joint Statement issued during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit earlier in 2025 reflects a shared commitment towards strengthening undersea deterrence and supply chain resilience, both of which have become increasingly hyphenated. The launch of the Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance—under the broader TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology) framework—envisions collaboration on the co-development and deployment of technologies such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), and AI-driven maritime surveillance systems. Notable examples include the co-production of Wave Glider Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), Knifefish UUV and Orca XLUUV, alongside indigenous efforts such as India’s AUV-150 and ROSUB 6000. Joint projects—such as low-frequency towed sonar systems with L3Harris and MSA sonobuoys with Bharat Dynamics reflect Washington and New Delhi’s shared recognition that technological interoperability and undersea domain awareness will define the next phase of scaling industrial partnerships.
Furthermore, the collaboration between L3 Harris, a US military contractor producing surveillance equipment and electronic warfare technologies, and Kalyani Strategic Systems, which is a subsidiary of Bharat Forge, aims at co-development of advanced defence technologies and supply chain networks under the Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation. Parallelly, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) known for indigenous torpedoes such as Varunastra and TAL has partnered with Ultra Maritime, a US-based undersea systems manufacturer for the provision of U.S.-specific sonobuoys, P-81, MH-60R and MQ-9B to India’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft under the ‘Product Planning’ contract anchored in India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. These initiatives support the Indian Ocean’s increased connectivity in tandem with the recent project by Meta on undersea cables. Prioritising industrial partnerships under this initiative reflects a cognisant shift towards co-developing autonomous undersea technologies to counter grey-zone tactics and strengthen regional architecture.
Although Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) is a relatively recent concept, its emergence signals a vital area for collaboration focused on real-time data sharing and surveillance.
The Indo-US partnership in underwater domain awareness (UDA) highlights growing strategic convergence in maritime security and technology cooperation, particularly in response to China’s expanding undersea capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. Although Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) is a relatively recent concept, its emergence signals a vital area for collaboration focused on real-time data sharing and surveillance. However, much of the technological development in this domain remains exploratory and nascent. Given the high reliance of any subsea strategy on technology partnerships, perhaps existing bilateral institutional frameworks such as the INDUS-X (India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem) and the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) (now TRUST) could galvanise the India-US subsea promise.
Vivek Mishra is the Deputy Director of the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation.
Himanshi Sharma is a Research Intern at the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation.
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Vivek Mishra is Deputy Director – Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation. His work focuses on US foreign policy, domestic politics in the US, ...
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Himanshi Sharma is a Research Intern at the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation. ...
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