From Afterthought to Asset: ASEAN Reassesses Subsea Cables

ASEAN is edging toward tougher, clearer guidance on subsea cable repair and resilience, with updated regional standards likely by 2026

18 Dec 2025

Governments and industry groups across south-east Asia are quietly elevating subsea cables from technical infrastructure to strategic assets, as concerns grow over resilience, repair speed and regional coordination.

Rather than through sweeping new rules, the shift is taking shape through discussion and gradual alignment. In ASEAN working groups and regional forums, officials are examining how to shorten repair times, protect critical cable routes and improve cooperation when outages occur. Updated regional guidance is widely expected in 2026, pointing to an approach that is incremental rather than abrupt.

“These networks are no longer seen as optional infrastructure,” said a regional telecoms policy adviser involved in the discussions. “They underpin economic stability, digital growth, and energy security.”

Subsea cables carry the vast majority of international data traffic and, in some cases, power links. Disruptions can affect governments, businesses and consumers across borders. Recent global incidents, including cable damage from accidents and natural events, have sharpened attention on preparedness rather than prevention alone.

Industry practices are shifting alongside policy debates. Large suppliers such as NEC and Prysmian are expanding maintenance partnerships and placing greater emphasis on repair readiness in new projects. Executives say the changes are not driven by a single ASEAN mandate but by a broader regional expectation that resilience should be built in from the start.

Capital markets are reinforcing the trend. Investors and insurers are increasingly favouring projects that can demonstrate credible repair plans and coordination arrangements. Proposals seen as weaker on resilience are facing tougher terms or longer development timelines, making preparedness a commercial consideration rather than a compliance exercise.

Global technology companies, including Google, have also stepped up engagement with regional authorities, seeking assurances that networks can be restored quickly when failures occur. For them, stable connectivity underpins cloud services, data centres and cross-border digital trade.

Significant challenges remain. Regulatory approaches still differ widely among ASEAN members, and some operators caution that expectations may move faster than enforcement capacity. Even so, the direction of travel is clear.

For the subsea cable industry, the shift resembles adjustment more than disruption. As resilience becomes a baseline requirement, early movers may benefit from smoother approvals, stronger partnerships and greater trust across the region.