A new 50-km submarine cable connecting Singapore and Indonesia's Batam island has arrived in Batam, a move expected to strengthen digital connectivity and support the growth of Southeast Asia's digital economy, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said.
At the inauguration of the Nongsa-Changi Cable landing, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Airlangga Hartarto, who was present, conveyed that Indonesia's digital transformation needs to be supported by real infrastructure and increasingly strong connectivity.
"This digital corridor will strengthen the digital economic value chain between Indonesia and Singapore while creating space for innovation and technology-based economic activity," he said.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said the NCC Cable will provide additional capacity of over 1.6 petabytes per second and enable latency below two milliseconds between Batam and Singapore, according to a ministry statement.
The project will support the expansion of data centers and digital services in Batam, while helping businesses operate more efficiently across the border, Gan said.
"This, in turn, will open up more opportunities for Singapore and Indonesia, as well as ASEAN, especially with the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) later this year," he said.
The cable is part of broader efforts by both countries to deepen economic cooperation and develop the Indonesian islands of Batam, Bintan, and Karimun (BBK) into a regional digital hub.
Gan noted that BBK's proximity to Singapore allows companies to leverage the strengths of both countries, creating opportunities for cross-border cooperation, skills development, and investment.
"Singapore provides global connectivity, a trusted business environment, and a network of companies and customers worldwide. Meanwhile, Indonesia offers scale, talent, opportunities for future growth, and significant potential in renewable energy," he added.
