After Mumbai, Airtel Connects Chennai With 21,700 Km-Long Rapid-Speed Submarine Cable For Enhanced Internet Connectivity

India has made a significant advancement in worldwide internet connectivity as a 21,700 km-long submarine cable has docked in Chennai, New Indian Express reported. This rapid-speed cable, which creates a link between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe, introduces an impressive capacity of 220 terabits per second (TBps) to the nation.

The cable, owned by Bharti Airtel, a leading telecom provider in India, was initially linked to Mumbai on 30 December 2024. Its recent connection to Chennai marks its full integration with Nxtra by Airtel, the firm's data centre division. This integration will facilitate uninterrupted access to global data and cloud computing services, offering significant benefits to businesses around the globe.

SubCom, a worldwide pioneer in subsea fiber optic systems, executed the installation. These fresh additions will boost Airtel's network by providing increased capacity and better redundancy for worldwide internet traffic.

Chennai is rapidly becoming a significant hub for data centers in India. Presently, the city boasts a colocation capacity of 88 MW, and additional data centers are being built.

“This expansion strengthens our existing 400,000 km network across 50 countries. It highlights our commitment to supporting Digital India’s growing need for global connectivity with more routes, diversity, and capacity,” Airtel Business Director and CEO Sharat Sinha said.

Airtel has made investments in the main cable system and has constructed a private network consisting of four fibre pairs that connect Singapore, Chennai, and Mumbai. This development is set to significantly improve India's digital infrastructure, providing faster and more dependable internet access for both businesses and everyday consumers.