Lightstorm-led consortium has contracted NEC and ACPL to build the I-2SEA submarine cable linking India’s east coast with Singapore and Malaysia; the system is open for commercial capacity commitments from 2 July 2026 and targets RFS in Q4 2029.
Consortium & Roles
- Consortium: Lightstorm (majority owner), Microsoft, Singtel, Tata Communications.
- System supplier: NEC Corporation.
- Marine installation: ASEAN Cableship Pte Ltd (ACPL).
Route, Landings & Connectivity
- Length & endpoints: Approx 3,600 km connecting India’s east coast to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
- Indian landings: Dual landings at Machilipatnam and a new South Chennai site.
- City reach: Direct subsea links to Hyderabad and Chennai; integration provides onward connectivity to Mumbai and 80+ data centres in India.
Technical & Operational Features
- AI-focused design: Engineered to support AI training and inference, hyperscalers and GPU infrastructure providers.
- Resilience measures: Deep burial strategy targeting 3 m depth across buried sections, with emphasis on Malacca Strait and Bay of Bengal.
- Commercial timeline: Open for capacity commitments (2 July 2026); RFS targeted Q4 2029.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Regulatory links: Submarine cable landings in India require coordination with the Department of Telecommunications and coastal authorities.
- Maritime framework: Operations of subsea cables interact with UNCLOS provisions on maritime zones and cable protection considerations.