Tokyo – NEC Corporation has signed a supply contract with a consortium of companies, including Lightstorm, Microsoft, Singtel, and Tata Communications, for the India-Southeast Asia (I-2SEA) submarine cable system connecting India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Through the supply of this submarine cable system, NEC will contribute to strengthening the digital infrastructure between India and Southeast Asia.
The I-2SEA subsea fiber-optic cable system will extend for approximately 3,600 km. The system will provide a direct link between areas where some of India’s fastest-growing AI and hyperscaler data centers are concentrated, including Hyderabad and Chennai, as well as Singapore, the region’s premier cloud interconnection and AI hub, and Kuala Lumpur, the center of Malaysia’s rapidly developing data center corridor. The system is scheduled to begin operations in 2029.
The deployment of this cable will address the growing demand for high-capacity communications driven by the expansion of generative AI and cloud services throughout the region. Moreover, it will contribute to improved regional connectivity, diversification of communication routes, and enhanced network resilience.
“It is a great honor to participate in the I-2SEA construction project. NEC is a leading vendor with over 60 years of experience in the submarine cable systems business. To date, the company has laid more than 450,000 km of submarine cables-equivalent to approximately 11 times around the Earth-and has a particularly strong track record in the Asia-Pacific region.
Through our participation in this project, we will further contribute to strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure.” – Tomonori Uematsu, NEC Corporate SVP and Head of Submarine Network Division
