SINGAPORE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The new 50-km submarine cable linking Singapore and Indonesia's Batam island has landed 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 on Monday.
At the landing ceremony, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said the Nongsa-Changi Cable would provide more than 1.6 petabits per second of additional capacity and enable latency of under two milliseconds between Batam and Singapore, according to the ministry's statement.
The project would support the expansion of data centers and digital services in Batam while helping businesses operate more efficiently across borders, Gan said.
"This, in turn, will bring more opportunities for Singapore and Indonesia, and ASEAN as well, especially with the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economic Framework Agreement later this year," he said.
The cable is part of broader efforts by the two countries to deepen economic cooperation and develop the Indonesian islands of Batam, Bintan and Karimun (BBK) into a regional digital hub.
Gan said the BBK region's proximity to Singapore allows companies to leverage the strengths of both countries, creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration, skills development and investment.
"Singapore brings global connectivity, a trusted business environment, and links to companies and customers around the world. Indonesia brings scale, talent, land for future growth, and significant potential in renewable energy," he noted. ■
