Agartala’s Third International Internet Gateway Lies Defunct Since 2025 Despite Continued Claims of Availability

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, March 30, 2026

The much-publicised third International Internet Gateway (IIG) of India in Agartala, once projected as a major digital boost for Tripura and the Northeast has reportedly remained non-functional since October 25, 2025, following the discontinuation of an agreement with Bangladesh. The gateway, established through Cox’s Bazar via Bangladesh, is no longer operational, raising serious questions over the continued claims of its availability by the Tripura government.

Despite this reality, Tripura’s Chief Minister Manik Saha and other Minister’s has repeatedly highlighted the presence of the country’s third IIG in the state at various investment and development platforms.

Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha reportedly reiterated this claim during his recent visits to West Bengal, Kerala, and Silchar in Assam while showcasing Tripura’s development achievements.

Ground reports indicate that the IIG service has been discontinued for months, yet there is no clear indication of any initiative to restore or renegotiate the agreement with Bangladesh. This lack of clarity has triggered concerns among stakeholders, especially when digital infrastructure is being projected as a key driver of investment in the region.

Even during its operational phase, the Agartala IIG was allegedly not optimally utilised. Technical limitations reportedly hindered its efficiency from as early as 2017.

Sources suggest that out of the 10 Gbps bandwidth capacity, only around 6.1 Gbps was being utilised for certain periods. The underperformance has been attributed to the absence of critical infrastructure, particularly a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), which is essential for handling high-capacity mobile data traffic.

According to sources in Delhi, optimal utilisation of the Agartala IIG would require installation of a GGSN system at an estimated cost of Rs.300 to 400 crore. Without this high-end infrastructure, the gateway could not efficiently handle both domestic and international data traffic.

Due to these technical deficiencies, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) reportedly had to rely on bandwidth hired from private operator Bharti Airtel, routing internet services via Guwahati and Kolkata instead of using the Agartala gateway.

BSNL has also reportedly failed to synchronise its mobile data services with the Agartala IIG since its inception. This has had wider implications, especially in a state where telecom infrastructure remains a challenge.

The absence of 5G services in Tripura, linked in part to BSNL’s disinvestment constraints

has further compounded the problem. Of the approximately 35 lakh mobile users in the state, only about 5 lakh are BSNL subscribers, with the majority opting for private telecom operators.

Notably, the Agartala IIG was inaugurated on March 23, 2016, via video conferencing by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

It was India’s third international internet gateway after Mumbai and Chennai, built at a cost of Rs.19.14 crore. The project enabled India to access 10 Gbps bandwidth from Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) through an optical fibre link between Akhaura (near Agartala) and Cox’s Bazar.

India was paying approximately Rs.8 crore annually as rent to BSCCL, with provisions to scale up capacity to 40 Gbps if demand increased.

With the discontinuation of the agreement, internet connectivity in the Northeast has reverted to being routed through Mumbai and Chennai gateways. This longer routing distance has reportedly led to slower speeds, higher latency, and frequent disruptions.

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