India-Malaysia-Singapore Submarine Cable Project I-2SEA

India-Malaysia-Singapore Submarine Cable Project I-2SEA

Why in News?

Recently, the I-2SEA Submarine Cable Project was unveiled, connecting India, Malaysia, and Singapore through a 3,600-km undersea network.

What is the India–Malaysia–Singapore Submarine Cable Project (I-2SEA)?

• About: The India–Malaysia–Singapore Submarine Cable Project (I-2SEA) is a new international fibre-optic submarine cable system unveiled on 2 July 2026.
  • It is designed to establish a dedicated, high-capacity digital corridor linking India, Malaysia and Singapore through a modern undersea communication network.
• Objective: The project aims to build a direct subsea connectivity route for transmitting massive volumes of digital data between the three countries.
  • It is specifically engineered for AI workloads, cloud services, hyperscale computing and enterprise connectivity with lower latency and higher resilience.
• Route and Length: The I-2SEA cable will extend approximately 3,600 km beneath the sea, connecting Singapore with India’s east coast while providing connectivity through Malaysia.
• Infrastructure Design: The project incorporates dual landing architecture, dedicated subsea fibre routes and diversified terrestrial integration to improve operational continuity.
• Landing Stations: The system includes dual landing stations in India at Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and South Chennai.
  • Machilipatnam offers the shortest subsea path to Hyderabad, enabling faster connectivity to one of India’s rapidly expanding AI and hyperscale data-centre clusters.
  • Outside of India, the network will connect directly to the rapidly expanding Kuala Lumpur data centre corridor in Malaysia and to Singapore. 
  • Singapore remains a central point, acting as the region’s main cloud interconnect and AI hub.
• Consortium Members: The consortium comprises Lightstorm, Microsoft, Singtel, Tata Communications, ASEAN Cableship, and NEC Corporation.
  • Lightstorm is the majority owner and project developer. 
  • NEC Corporation has been appointed as the system supplier, responsible for designing and supplying the submarine cable infrastructure. 
  • ASEAN Cableship will execute the marine installation operations.
• Network Integration: The cable will seamlessly connect with Lightstorm’s 30,000+ km terrestrial fibre network, extending connectivity to 80+ data centres and major digital hubs across India. 
• AI and Cloud Focus: Unlike older subsea systems, I-2SEA will be custom-designed for intensive AI training and inference workloads.
  • It explicitly caters to the high-bandwidth needs of hyperscalers and GPU infrastructure providers in the region.
• Operational Timeline: Construction has been announced, with the Ready for Service (RFS) target scheduled for Q4 2029. 

Significance of This Project 

• Strengthens India’s Digital Infrastructure: The 3,600-km I-2SEA cable adds a new international data corridor, complementing India’s 17 operational submarine cables with 960 Tbps potential capacity and improving overall network resilience.
  • By passing through the secure areas of the Malacca Strait and the Indian Ocean, the cable will protect India’s communications sovereignty from Chinese cyber or physical interference.
• Powers AI and Cloud Growth: The cable is specifically designed for AI, cloud computing and hyperscale workloads. Microsoft joined the consortium to support rapidly expanding AI infrastructure across India and Southeast Asia.
• Boosts India’s Data Centre: The landing station at Machilipatnam supports the emerging data-centre hub where Meta and Alphabet have announced facilities, ensuring faster global data connectivity.
• Strengthens India–ASEAN Digital Integration: By directly linking India, Malaysia and Singapore, the project improves cross-border data movement, supporting regional digital trade, cloud services and enterprise communication.
  • It ensures route diversity and reduces service disruption risks caused by cable faults or natural disasters.
  • This project gives a strong digital dimension to India’s ‘Act East Policy’, which will strengthen economic and strategic relations with South-East Asia.
• Expands AI Network Coverage: Lightstorm currently connects 19 AI and cloud zones across India. The I-2SEA project will increase this coverage to 29 zones, enabling broader high-capacity digital infrastructure.
• Meets Future Data Demand: India’s operational data-centre capacity is projected to double from 1.4 GW by 2027 and could increase fivefold by 2030, making additional international bandwidth essential.
  • This undersea cable will act as the backbone for seamless delivery of gaming, 5G/6G rollout, cloud computing and e-governance services to rural India.
• Improves International Connectivity: Submarine cables carry roughly 95% of global internet traffic. I-2SEA increases India’s international communication capacity and strengthens uninterrupted cross-border digital connectivity.
  • It will reduce data transfer time (latency) by 10-15% between India (especially Hyderabad and Chennai) and the Singapore-Malaysia corridor. 

Major International Submarine Cable Projects Connected to India

• SEA-ME-WE-6 (Southeast Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6): It is a 21,700-km submarine cable connecting Singapore to France (Marseille) through India and the Middle East. 
• India Asia Xpress (IAX): Developed by Reliance Jio, IAX spans about 5,791 km, linking Mumbai and Chennai with Singapore, including branches to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia.
  • It provides 200+ Tbps design capacity together with IEX. 
• India Europe Xpress (IEX): The IEX system extends about 9,775 km, connecting India with the Middle East and Europe.
  • Interconnected with IAX, it creates an India-centric global data corridor with very high-capacity fibre connectivity. 
• MIST (Myanmar/Malaysia-India-Singapore Transit): The 8,100-km MIST cable connects Mumbai and Chennai with Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
  • Built by NEC Corporation, it strengthens India’s digital links across Southeast Asia.
• 2Africa Pearls: 2Africa Pearls forms the India extension of the world’s largest submarine cable ecosystem, connecting India with Africa, Europe and the Middle East through a 45,000-km global network.
• Blue-Raman: The Blue-Raman project links India with Europe through the Middle East and Israel, creating an alternative route that reduces dependence on traditional corridors.
• Bay of Bengal Gateway (BBG): Commissioned in 2016, the 8,100-km BBG system connects India with Malaysia, Singapore, Oman and the UAE, improving regional internet connectivity.
• Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1): The 25,000-km AAE-1 cable links Hong Kong to Europe via India and the Middle East, providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe. 
• Europe India Gateway (EIG): Operational since 2011, the 15,000-km EIG system directly connects India with Europe through the Middle East, enhancing redundancy for international telecom traffic. 
• IMEWE (India-Middle East-Western Europe): The 12,091-km IMEWE cable links India, Pakistan, the Middle East and Europe, offering diversified international connectivity.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

• Submarine Communication Cable: It is an undersea fibre-optic cable laid on the ocean floor to transmit internet, voice and data between countries and continents.
  • Its main purpose is to provide high-speed, high-capacity international telecommunications, connecting countries more efficiently than satellites for most intercontinental traffic.
  • Modern submarine cables use optical fibres, where information travels as light pulses rather than electrical signals.
  • A typical cable contains optical fibres, gel, copper conductor (power supply), steel armour, and polyethylene insulation for deep-sea protection.
  • Submarine cables provide higher bandwidth, lower latency and greater reliability than satellite communication.
  • They support internet services, cloud computing, banking, digital payments, video conferencing, AI workloads and international telecommunications. 
• Fibre Optics: Fibre optics is a communication technology that transmits information as light pulses through ultra-thin strands of glass or plastic fibres.
  • It operates on Total Internal Reflection (TIR), where light continuously reflects within the fibre core without escaping.
  • A fibre consists of a core, cladding, and protective coating. The cladding has a lower refractive index, keeping light confined within the core. 
  • Electrical data are converted into light signals, transmitted through the fibre, and reconverted into electrical signals at the receiving end.
  • Light travels through optical fibre at about two-thirds the speed of light in vacuum, enabling extremely fast communication. 
  • Optical fibres provide very high bandwidth, experience much lower attenuation, allowing communication across hundreds of kilometres before amplification. 
  • Optical fibres are difficult to tap without detection, making them suitable for government, defence, banking and secure enterprise networks. 

FAQs:

1. What is the India, Malaysia and Singapore Submarine Cable Project?
   It is a 3,600-km fibre-optic undersea cable connecting India, Malaysia and Singapore for AI and cloud connectivity. 
2. What is the objective of the new submarine cable project?
   To provide high-capacity, low-latency connectivity supporting AI, cloud services and hyperscale data workloads across the region. 
3. Which countries are participating in the project?
   The project directly connects India, Malaysia and Singapore through a dedicated submarine fibre-optic cable system.
4. How will the submarine cable improve digital connectivity?
   It offers direct, high-capacity routes, lower latency, diversified communication paths and stronger network resilience.
5. Why are undersea cables important for global internet infrastructure?
   They carry about 95% of global internet traffic, enabling fast and reliable international digital communications.
6. What benefits will the project bring to India?
   It strengthens AI infrastructure, expands cloud connectivity, supports data centres and increases international digital capacity.
7. How does the project strengthen regional cooperation?
   It enhances digital infrastructure, cross-border connectivity and technology collaboration between India, Malaysia and Singapore. 
8. When is the submarine cable project expected to become operational?
   The I-2SEA submarine cable is expected to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2029. 

Disclaimer: Information in this article is based on official announcements and public records. Regulations and implementation details may evolve over time.