Microsoft Partners Lightstorm to Build I-2SEA Undersea Cable Linking India and Southeast Asia

Microsoft has joined hands with Singapore-based telecom infrastructure company Lightstorm to develop the new undersea cable system which connects India with Malaysia and Singapore. It is named as I-2SEA (India-2-Southeast Asia) and this project aims to strengthen regional digital infrastructure and aslo support the rapid expansion of AI, hyperscale cloud services, and data centers across Asia.

Microsoft and Lightstorm Lead Global Consortium

The I-2SEA submarine cable project will be developed by an international consortium that is led by Microsoft and Lightstorm.

Other key partners include the,

• Tata Communications
• Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel)
• ASEAN Cableship
• NEC Corporation of Japan

Together, these companies will build around a 3,600-kilometer undersea cable network that is designed to provide the high-capacity, low-latency digital connectivity between India and Southeast Asia.

Although this consortium has not disclosed the project’s total investment yet but it is expected to become one of the region’s most significant digital infrastructure initiatives in the upcoming years.

What Is the I-2SEA Undersea Cable?

The India-2-Southeast Asia (I-2SEA) cable is the next-generation submarine fiber-optic network that will connect India directly with Malaysia and Singapore.

One of its major landing stations will be located in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It is rapidly emerging as the digital infrastructure hub.

Global technology companies, which including Meta and Alphabet (Google), have already announced the plans for data center investments in the region.

According to Lightstorm Group CEO and Managing Director Amajit Gupta, this cable system is expected to become operational during the fourth quarter of 2029.

Boost for India’s AI and Data Center Ecosystem

India has become one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets and it is attracting major investments in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Lightstorm currently connects a total of 19 AI and cloud zones across India through its terrestrial fiber network.

After the completion of the I-2SEA project, that number is also expected to increase to 29 connected AI and cloud zones, and will expand access to high-speed digital infrastructure.

According to Lightstorm Group CEO and Managing Director Amajit Gupta, this cable system is expected to become operational during the fourth quarter of 2029.

Boost for India’s AI and Data Centre Ecosystem

India has become world’s one of the fastest-growing digital markets and it attracting the major investments in the cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Lightstorm currently connects total 19 AI and cloud zones across India through its terrestrial fiber network.

After the completion of the I-2SEA project, that number is also expected to increase to 29 connected AI and cloud zones and will expands the access to high-speed digital infrastructure.

According to the report by Macquarie Equity Research, India’s operational data center capacity currently stands at approximately 1.4 gigawatts. This capacity is projected to double by the year 2027 based on the projects which are already under construction

Importance of Undersea Cables

Submarine fiber-optic cables are the foundation of the global internet.

Nearly 95% of the international internet traffic travels through undersea cables rather than satellites.

These cables carries everything from financial transactions and cloud computing data to the video streaming, AI workloads, and international communications.

India currently operates around 17 active submarine cable systems with the additional submarine cable projects which have already been publicly announced and showcasing the country’s growing digital ambitions.