ASEAN Moves to Speed Submarine Cable Repairs

ASEAN endorses non-binding guidelines to speed submarine cable repairs and strengthen regional digital resilience

12 Feb 2026

Southeast Asian governments have endorsed new regional guidelines to accelerate submarine cable repairs, seeking to protect the infrastructure that underpins the region’s fast-growing digital economy.

At the 6th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in Hanoi in January, member states backed a set of non-binding best practices designed to shorten maintenance approval timelines and improve coordination across borders. The initiative reflects growing concern that slow repair processes pose risks to cloud services, finance and cross-border commerce.

Submarine cables carry about 99 per cent of international data traffic. When faults occur, repairs can be delayed for weeks as operators navigate complex permitting systems involving multiple national authorities. ASEAN’s framework aims to reduce those bottlenecks and limit wider economic disruption.

The guidelines encourage each member state to appoint a single national contact point for submarine cable permits and to strengthen coordination among telecommunications, maritime and other relevant agencies. Although the measures are not legally binding, they create a shared regional reference point and signal recognition that cables are critical infrastructure.

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority stressed the need for more timely and coordinated repair processes. For regional operators such as Singtel, which is involved in several cross-border cable systems, clearer procedures could allow faster mobilisation of repair vessels and lower administrative burdens during outages.

The reforms may also provide greater regulatory clarity for investors. As global cloud providers expand data centre capacity in Southeast Asia, predictable approval processes are becoming as important as physical network redundancy.

The move comes as the region’s digital economy is projected to exceed $300bn in value in the coming years, supported by e-commerce, financial technology and artificial intelligence services. Governments view infrastructure resilience as essential to sustaining that growth.

Differences in maritime law, security requirements and environmental rules could affect how quickly the guidelines are implemented at national level. Still, the agreement in Hanoi marks a step towards closer regional coordination in managing digital infrastructure.