FLAG Launches Chennai-Singapore Cable Route for Resilience

Subsea cables are the foundation of international connectivity for Asia, carrying around 95% of global data traffic and supporting the cloud services, content platforms and enterprise networks that underpin the region's digital economy.

As demand for capacity continues to grow, network operators are putting greater emphasis on resilience and route diversity rather than simply adding bandwidth.

That is the backdrop to FLAG’s latest investment. The privately owned subsea cable operator is launching a new Chennai-Singapore subsea route, adding capacity across one of Asia’s most important connectivity corridors and giving customers an additional path between India and Singapore.

The route extends FLAG’s network presence on India’s east coast and forms part of the company’s Vision 2030 strategy, with investment in fibre infrastructure intended to strengthen global coverage and network resilience.

Building an alternative path across Asia

A network that relies heavily on a limited number of international paths can face greater operational risk when outages or other disruptions occur.

FLAG’s new Chennai-Singapore route is designed to address that challenge by creating a second geographically distinct path between India and Singapore.

The company says the investment strengthens resilience across its wider Asian footprint while providing a scalable option for international traffic.

Paul Abfalter, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, FLAG, says: “Global connectivity is entering a more complex phase, where reliance on a small number of routes is no longer sustainable.

“Adding a second, geographically distinct path between India and Singapore is a deliberate step to strengthen long-term network resilience and control.

“This route reinforces how FLAG is building a more flexible, multi-path architecture that allows traffic to be managed, protected and rerouted as demand continues to scale across Asia and beyond.”

The launch follows FLAG’s July 2025 investment connecting Mumbai to Singapore.

Together, the two routes provide connectivity from both India’s west and east coasts, creating additional options for traffic management and service delivery.

The ability for carriers and wholesale customers to move traffic across multiple routes can help maintain service continuity while supporting growing demand for international connectivity.

New options for India-US traffic

When combined with FLAG’s ECHO subsea cable system between Singapore and the US, the new route creates additional end-to-end routing options linking India and the US. That provides an alternative to west-bound paths that travel through the Middle East and Europe.

This means greater flexibility for the telco sector when designing international services and network architectures. It also reflects priorities in the subsea market, as operators are seeking geographically diverse routes to reduce dependency on specific corridors.

FLAG says customers can expect improvements in uptime, lower latency and stronger resiliency across the regional route.

The company also points to benefits for cloud connectivity, content delivery networks, enterprise communications and organisations expanding internationally.

As digital traffic volumes continue to increase, the ability to support high-performance international connectivity is a growing priority for operators serving both consumer and enterprise markets.

Investments in subsea infrastructure are key to that effort because cables carry the vast majority of global internet traffic.

Chennai's growing role in connectivity

The launch highlights Chennai’s importance as a connectivity hub within India’s international telco ecosystem.

India is a major focus for FLAG’s long-term investment plans, both as a market for connectivity services and as an operational base.

The company says expanding infrastructure through strategic hubs is a key part of its approach to supporting digital growth.

Nadya Melic, Vice President Product, FLAG, says: “India is an increasingly important market for FLAG, and investing in strategic connectivity hubs such as Chennai is central to how we strengthen long-term digital growth.

“By expanding connectivity through hubs like Chennai, we’re improving how the region connects into the wider global network, creating the foundations for more resilient and more equitable digital participation.

“This new route aligns directly with our Vision 2030 focus on deploying infrastructure in locations that improve diversity, resilience and access to global connectivity.”

Alongside its network expansion programme, FLAG maintains a substantial workforce in India and runs environmental, social and governance initiatives across the country.

These programmes focus on community engagement, skills development and widening access to digital opportunities, with details outlined in the company’s Annual Sustainability Report.

As operators balance capacity growth with resilience requirements, investments that create alternative routes are becoming an increasingly important part of network planning. FLAG’s Chennai–Singapore connection adds another option to that toolkit while strengthening links between South Asia, Southeast Asia and onward destinations across the globe.