Lightstorm, Microsoft, Tata and Singtel Launch I2SEA Cable

A consortium of major technology and telecommunications companies announced on Thursday, July 2, 2026, the launch of a new 3,600-kilometer submarine cable system directly connecting India with Singapore and Malaysia. The project, named I2SEA, is designed specifically to support the surging demand for artificial intelligence, cloud, and hyperscale computing workloads across the region.

The consortium is led by Singapore-based connectivity provider Lightstorm and includes Microsoft, Tata Communications, and Singtel. The system supplier is Japan’s NEC Corporation, with ASEAN Cableship Pte. Ltd. acting as the marine installation partner. The companies did not disclose the total investment value for the multimillion-dollar project.

I2SEA is scheduled to be ready for service in the fourth quarter of 2029. It will feature four landing stations, with two in India at Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh and South Chennai. These will be integrated into Lightstorm’s existing 30,000-kilometer terrestrial network in India, extending connectivity to over 80 data centers nationwide. The cable will also land in Singapore and Malaysia, where Telecom Malaysia will serve as the landing partner.