i2i Cable Network (i2icn)

Overview

The i2i Cable Network (i2icn) is a submarine cable system spanning approximately 3,200 kilometres between India and Singapore. It forms a direct bilateral link across the eastern Indian Ocean, connecting two of Asia's principal telecommunications hubs in a corridor that carries substantial regional internet and data traffic.

Route and Landings

In India, the cable lands at Chennai, located on the southeastern coastline of the subcontinent.

In Singapore, the cable comes ashore at Tuas, situated on the western end of the island.

Ownership and Operators

The i2i Cable Network is owned by Bharti Airtel, one of India's largest telecommunications operators with an international network footprint spanning multiple continents. Bharti Airtel operates the cable as part of its broader intercontinental connectivity infrastructure.

Technical Profile

The cable system extends 3,200 kilometres in total length between its two landing points.

Status and Timeline

The i2i Cable Network was declared ready for service in 2002, making it one of the earlier dedicated India–Singapore submarine cable systems. It remains in service, connecting its two landing stations in Chennai and Tuas.

Regional Context

The India–Singapore corridor hosts a range of submarine cable systems spanning widely varying lengths. The i2i Cable Network, at 3,200 kilometres, is among the shorter systems serving this route, offering a relatively direct path between the two countries compared to longer multi-segment systems such as EAC-C2C, PEACE Cable, Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), and the forthcoming SeaMeWe-6, all of which serve the same corridor as part of broader, multi-country routes. Its focused two-point geometry distinguishes it from these longer systems.

Measured performance over recent testing shows an average round-trip latency of 73.0 milliseconds, with a best recorded result of 42.3 milliseconds across 106 ping tests.

Strategic Role

By linking Chennai directly to Tuas, the i2i Cable Network provides a dedicated bilateral connection between India and Singapore. Its two-landing configuration means traffic between these endpoints travels without intermediate branching or diversion through third-country stations, offering a straightforward path for data exchange between the two countries. Within a corridor increasingly served by longer, multi-continent systems, the i2i Cable Network's direct and regionally focused design serves the specific demand for India–Singapore connectivity.