Summary:
NEC Corporation has signed a supply agreement with a consortium comprising Lightstorm, Microsoft, Singtel, and Tata Communications for the I-2SEA submarine cable system connecting India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Spanning approximately 3,600 km, the cable will link key AI and data centre hubs, including Hyderabad, Chennai, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, with commercial operations expected to begin in 2029. The project aims to enhance regional digital connectivity, increase network capacity and resilience, and support growing demand for AI and cloud services, while reinforcing NEC’s long-standing expertise in submarine cable infrastructure.
NEC Corporation has entered into a supply agreement with a consortium comprising Lightstorm, Microsoft, Singtel, and Tata Communications for the India-Southeast Asia (I-2SEA) submarine cable project, which will connect India, Malaysia, and Singapore. By delivering the subsea cable infrastructure, NEC aims to strengthen digital connectivity and support the expansion of communications infrastructure between India and Southeast Asia.
The I-2SEA submarine fibre-optic cable will span approximately 3,600 kilometres, creating a direct connection between key digital hubs in the region. The network will link Hyderabad and Chennai—home to some of India’s fastest-growing AI and hyperscale data centre ecosystems—with Singapore, a leading regional hub for cloud connectivity and artificial intelligence, and Kuala Lumpur, which is rapidly emerging as a major data centre destination. Commercial operations are expected to commence in 2029.
The new cable system is intended to meet the rising demand for high-capacity data transmission driven by the rapid growth of generative AI applications and cloud computing services across the region. In addition to expanding bandwidth, the project is expected to improve regional connectivity, provide greater route diversity, and strengthen overall network resilience.
Commenting on the project, the Senior Vice President and Head of NEC’s Submarine Network Division said the company is honoured to be part of the I-2SEA initiative. He noted that NEC brings more than six decades of expertise in submarine cable systems, having deployed over 450,000 kilometres of subsea cables worldwide—equivalent to circling the Earth roughly 11 times—with a particularly strong presence across the Asia-Pacific region. He added that participating in the project further reinforces NEC’s commitment to advancing the region’s digital infrastructure.
