Airtel Brings 2Africa Pearls Subsea Cable With Over 100 Tbps Capacity to India
By Gyana Swain, Network World
March 28, 2025
In a significant development for digital infrastructure in India, Bharti Airtel has landed the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable, delivering 100 Terabits per second of international network capacity for the country.
The submarine cable will connect to Airtel’s cable landing station (CLS) in Mumbai. This infrastructure addresses bandwidth constraints and communication challenges for enterprises seeking improved global connectivity.
“Subsea cables are the invisible lifelines of the digital world of today,” said Sharat Sinha, CEO of Airtel Business. “Carrying over 95% of global data traffic – from video calls and content streaming to financial transactions and cloud services, these cables power seamless, high-speed, low-latency connectivity across continents.”
By providing direct, high-capacity routes connecting India with Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, Airtel is addressing key connectivity challenges for enterprises operating in an increasingly globalized digital landscape.
“This isn’t just about capacity,” said Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief analyst and CEO at Greyhound Research. “Yes, 100 Tbps is impressive on paper — but what matters more is what it enables. Indian enterprises have long been at the mercy of legacy undersea cables — low throughput, fragile routes, and indirect paths that added unnecessary latency.”
Technological significance and global demand
The rising global demand for connectivity underscores the critical nature of this infrastructure.
“Businesses are becoming increasingly global and digital-first, with industries such as financial services, data centers, and social media platforms relying heavily on real-time, uninterrupted data flow,” Sinha added.
The 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system spans 45,000 kilometers, involving a consortium of global telecommunications leaders including Bayobab, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and WIOCC. Alcatel Submarine Networks is responsible for the cable’s manufacturing and installation, the statement added.
This cable system is part of a broader global effort to enhance international digital connectivity. Unlike traditional telecommunications infrastructure, the 2Africa Pearls project represents a collaborative approach to solving complex global communication challenges.
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