Telin & BW Digital land new Indonesia-Singapore cable

Telin and BW Digital have landed the Nongsa Changi Cable at Nongsa Digital Park in Batam, adding a new subsea link between Indonesia and Singapore.

Senior officials from Indonesia and Singapore attended the landing, alongside executives from Telkom Group, BW Digital, and Nongsa Digital Park. The system connects Batam and Singapore across the Singapore Strait and is part of a broader push to expand data links between the two countries.

The Nongsa Changi Cable, or NCC, stretches about 50 kilometres and includes 24 fibre pairs. It is one of two new Batam-Singapore subsea systems being developed by Telkom Group, alongside the Indonesia Singapore Cable System.

The Batam landing also gives Nongsa Digital Park a new international cable touchpoint, strengthening Batam's role in carrying cross-border digital traffic and placing the site more directly on regional network routes.

Regional link

NCC sits within the Indonesia Cable Express ecosystem, a broader network development programme led by Telkom Group. The cable is intended to improve international connectivity and route diversity between Indonesia and Singapore.

Demand for data links in the region has been rising as cloud computing, artificial intelligence workloads, and data centre interconnection expand. In response, operators have been building new submarine and terrestrial routes to reduce concentration risk and add capacity near major digital hubs.

Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, linked the project to the country's broader digital development plans.

"Indonesia's digital transformation needs to be supported by robust physical infrastructure and increasingly strong connectivity. NCC serves as the physical foundation for a new digital corridor connecting Indonesia and Singapore, while further strengthening Batam's position as Indonesia's digital gateway. The presence of NCC is expected to reinforce the strategic position of both countries in the global digital ecosystem and value chain, while creating opportunities for greater investment, innovation, and new technology-driven economic activities," said Hartarto.

Setyanto Hantoro, Managing Director Business-2 of Danantara Indonesia, focused on the economic effects the project could generate.

"Strategic investments such as the NCC are fundamental, as strengthening digital sovereignty and infrastructure can serve as a catalyst for innovation, competitiveness, and growth across various industries. This infrastructure is expected to generate a broader economic multiplier effect by driving the growth of industries in Batam and across Indonesia, ultimately contributing to stronger national economic growth and resilience," said Hantoro.

Batam focus

Batam has attracted growing interest as a digital infrastructure location because of its proximity to Singapore and its status as an Indonesian special economic zone. New cable landings and data centre projects there could help ease network concentration in Singapore while preserving short regional connections.

Dian Siswarini, President Director of Telkom Indonesia, described the cable as strategically important to both countries.

"Through the continued development of sustainable digital infrastructure, TelkomGroup is committed to strengthening Indonesia's digital sovereignty while delivering tangible impact on the growth of the national digital economy. NCC represents a strategic collaboration between Indonesia and Singapore in building a more connected and competitive digital ecosystem. This strategic infrastructure not only strengthens Indonesia's digital connectivity and resilience, but also provides greater route diversity and enhanced connectivity for Singapore as a regional digital hub, creating mutual benefits for both countries," said Siswarini.

Budi Satria Dharma Purba, Director of Wholesale & International Service of Telkom Indonesia, placed the system within the company's broader network buildout.

"NCC establishes a new digital corridor between Indonesia and Singapore as part of the Indonesia Cable Express ecosystem. Together with future ICE developments, it will strengthen international connectivity, support AI-ready digital infrastructure, and provide greater network resilience for enterprises, hyperscalers, and digital businesses across the region," said Purba.

BW Digital linked the project to its Batam infrastructure footprint, which also includes terrestrial fibre and a data centre campus. The combination reflects a broader market trend in which cable operators, fibre providers, and data centre developers cluster assets in the same locations.

"The successful landing of NCC demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships in delivering critical digital infrastructure for Southeast Asia. Together with Telin, we are creating a future-ready connectivity platform that supports the region's accelerating demand for cloud, AI, and data center services. NCC is also a critical component of BW Digital's broader digital ecosystem, which includes Citra Connect's terrestrial fibre network and NDP1 144MW data centre campus in Batam, providing the end-to-end infrastructure our customers need to support their regional expansion," said Hutier.

Nongsa Digital Park said the landing strengthens its position as a destination for domestic and international subsea fibre. Mike Wiluan, Chief Executive Officer of Nongsa Digital Park, said the site is being developed as an integrated digital hub.

"Today's cable landing is more than the completion of digital infrastructure, it represents the strengthening of an ecosystem. At Nongsa Digital Park, we are bringing together connectivity, data centers, cloud platforms, AI innovation, digital talent, and global enterprises into one integrated hub. Through our collaboration with TelkomGroup, BW Digital, and the support of both the Indonesian and Singaporean governments, we are creating a gateway that connects Indonesia to Singapore and beyond. Together, we are building the digital bridge that enables Indonesia to play a greater role in the global digital economy. NDP is now officially a new destination point for domestic and international subsea fibre optic cables, and we look forward to welcoming more in the near future," said Wiluan.