Microsoft partners with Singapore's Lightstorm to build India-Southeast Asia undersea cable

Microsoft is part of a consortium with Lightstorm, Tata Communications, Singtel, ASEAN Cableship and NEC to build the I-2SEA undersea cable linking India, Malaysia and Singapore. The project is aimed at expanding AI, cloud and hyperscale infrastructure in India, a fast-growing data market, and could support future data-center and connectivity demand in the region. The cable will span 3,600 km, with landing stations in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and is slated to be operational in Q4 2029. The announcement is strategically positive for Microsoft’s cloud and AI ecosystem, reinforcing long-term infrastructure investment in Asia, though the article provides no deal size or near-term financial impact. Lightstorm also said it plans an India listing in mid-2027.