Tech Groups Deepen Asia-Pacific Cable Push

Big tech expands subsea investments, shifting control of regional data flows and altering the role of telecom carriers

19 Feb 2026

Global technology companies are expanding their investments in subsea cables across Asia-Pacific, increasing control over the infrastructure that underpins cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.

In February 2026, Google unveiled its “America-India Connect” initiative at the India AI Impact Summit, outlining plans for new subsea links between the US and India. The project aims to improve cloud performance and support rising AI workloads between two fast-growing digital markets.

Meta is also advancing long-term capacity plans in the region. Its proposed Candle subsea cable project, expected to be completed around 2028, would add significant bandwidth across Asia-Pacific to support social media platforms, immersive content and AI-driven services. Although still in development, the scale of the project reflects Meta’s effort to secure infrastructure for future demand.

Microsoft has continued to participate in global subsea cable investments, largely through consortium projects with cloud and infrastructure partners. Rather than building wholly owned systems, the company has aligned its subsea investments with the expansion of its cloud regions and enterprise services.

These moves point to a structural change in the subsea market. For decades, international cables were financed and operated mainly by telecom carriers through joint consortia. Hyperscale cloud providers, which now generate and consume much of global internet traffic, are taking on greater ownership stakes to secure long-term capacity, manage costs and ensure the low latency required for AI applications.

Industry analysts say the shift does not displace traditional carriers but alters their role. Operators increasingly act as landing station providers and regional connectivity partners, even as large technology groups anchor new projects.

The broader impact on wholesale markets remains uncertain. Dedicated capacity secured by hyperscalers could limit supply in some routes, though fresh investment is also accelerating deployment and strengthening network resilience from India to Southeast Asia.

Governments across the region are treating subsea cables as critical infrastructure, introducing tighter oversight as data flows grow. With AI adoption rising and cross-border traffic expanding, direct investment by technology groups in subsea systems is expected to continue shaping the region’s digital infrastructure.