One Decision

The Undersea Contest for Control of the Global Economy, ft. Journalist Samanth Subramanian

May 21, 2026·1h 2m
Episode Description from the Publisher

95 percent of global internet traffic travels through underwater fiber optic cables. They've never been more vulnerable. In this episode of One Decision, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and guest co-host Rosanna Lockwood are joined by journalist and author Samanth Subramanian. His latest book,  The Web Beneath the Waves, is an investigation into the hidden infrastructure holding the world's economy together, and the growing threats to it. Subramanian’s book, The Web Beneath the Waves, is an investigation  Iran is threatening to levy tolls on cables running through the Strait of Hormuz. China is cutting cables in Taiwan's territorial waters using "fishing boats." Russia has been probing European undersea networks for years. And yet there's virtually no international legal framework to stop any of it. Links:  The Web Beneath the Waves | Columbia Global Reports  In this episode: 1:05 — Iran Nuclear Deal: Trump's Strategy 3:44 — US-China Summit: What Really Happened 6:10 — Putin Visits Xi: Russia's Anxiety 8:13 — CIA in Cuba: Economic Takeover Begins 11:17 — Israel's New Mossad Chief Explained 13:22 — Germany's BND Gets New Powers 17:52 — Undersea Cable Vulnerability Exposed 18:48 — How 95% of Internet Data Travels 32:58 — Can Cables Be Tapped Underwater? 38:54 — Deliberate Cable Attacks: Gray Zone War 45:04 — South China Sea: The Biggest Chokepoint 54:53 — One Decision: Future of the Internet 55:55 — Sir Richard and Rosanna Discussion Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and journalist Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).  Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of One Decision and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.