8FEBRUARY 2025INDIA AND USA TO JOINTLY INVEST IN UNDERSEA CABLE TO BOOST INDIAN OCEAN CONNECTIVITYTATA.EV JOINS HANDS WITH CPOS TO EXPAND INDIA'S EV CHARGING NETWORKMeta has announced a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year investment in a 50,000 km undersea cable project aimed at enhancing digital connectivity in the Indian Ocean region. The initiative, revealed in a joint statement from the White House following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit, underscores growing US-India technological collaboration.The project, set to begin this year, will span five continents, strengthening global digital highways and improving internet infrastructure. The Indian government has also committed to investing in maintenance, repair, and financing of undersea cables using trusted vendors, as part of its broader digital infrastructure strategy.A Meta spokesperson highlighted India's pivotal role in the company's global operations, describing the investment as a landmark move that will support India's digital expansion, economic growth, and technological innovation. The undersea cable system, touted as the world's longest and most advanced, is expected to be operational by the end of the decade.The announcement comes as part of broader discussions on US-India defense and technology cooperation. The White House confirmed plans to accelerate collaboration in space, air defense, missile systems, maritime, and undersea technology, with the US reviewing its policy on releasing fifth-generation fighter jets and undersea defense systems to India.During his visit, PM Modi also met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, further emphasizing India's growing role as a hub for technological partnerships and investments. TATA.ev has introduced 'Open Collaboration 2.0', a strategic initiative to rapidly scale India's EV charge infrastructure. It will expand over two times the current number of charging points to over 400,000 in two years, significantly improving access for EV users nationwide.A significant part of this effort is enhancing partnerships with Charging Point Operators (CPOs), in an objective to set up 30,000 new public charging stations. To further strengthen the ecosystem, TATA.ev is building a mega charger network along with Tata Power, ChargeZone, Statiq, and Zeon. The initial stage will introduce 500 superfast chargers in prominent cities and highways within two years."To enable the exponential growth of EVs in India, we've launched 'Open Collaboration 2.0', aiming to expand the charging network to over 400,000 points in the next two years, in partnership with leading CPOs. This initiative will enhance the speed, reliability, and user experience of charging while improving the viability of CPOs and facilitating their growth," said Shailesh Chandra, MD at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility.TATA.ev is also introducing TATA.ev verified chargers, a unified helpline, and seamless payment solutions, ensuring a dependable and user-friendly charging ecosystem. Since 2019, the company has played a pivotal role in advancing India's EV charging landscape, with over 1.5 lakh private chargers, 2,500 community chargers, and 750 dealership chargers across 200+ cities. TOPSTORIES
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