Airtel’s SEA-ME-WE 6 Submarine / Undersea Cable to Boost India’s Global Connectivity

India has made a significant advancement in global internet connectivity with the arrival of a 21,700 km-long submarine cable in Chennai. This high-speed undersea cable, linking Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe, brings an impressive 220 terabits per second (Tbps) of capacity, further strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure.   

Owned by Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecom providers, the cable first landed in Mumbai on December 30, 2024. With its extension to Chennai, it is now fully integrated with Nxtra by Airtel, the company’s data center division. This integration will enhance access to international data and cloud computing services, benefiting businesses and consumers globally.   

The cable installation was managed by SubCom, a global leader in subsea fiber optic technology. This development bolsters Airtel’s network, offering increased capacity, improved redundancy, and greater resilience for international data traffic.   

Chennai is rapidly emerging as a key data center hub in India, currently housing 88 MW of colocation capacity, with several new data centers under development.   

“This expansion strengthens our existing 400,000 km network across 50 countries and reinforces our commitment to Digital India by providing enhanced global connectivity with more routes, diversity, and capacity,” said Sharat Sinha, Director & CEO of Airtel Business.   

Beyond the core cable system, Airtel has also built a private network of four fiber pairs connecting Singapore, Chennai, and Mumbai. This strategic investment aims to enhance India’s digital ecosystem, ensuring faster, more reliable internet services for businesses and consumers alike.