Beneath the waves lies the backbone of the digital world. Often overlooked, submarine cables play a crucial role in shaping the future of global connectivity, carrying the majority of the world’s internet traffic.
Strategically positioned between the east and west, the Middle East’s submarine cable landscape is experiencing massive developments that could further drive the region’s digital economy.
According to Custom Market Insights (CMI), the global submarine cable market is poised to reach USD 26.11 billion in 2025. Looking ahead, the submarine cable market is projected to reach USD 35 billion in 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%. This market growth is attributed to the growing demand for high-speed internet, cloud-based services, and the need for more robust underwater infrastructure to expand global connectivity.
Related: Connecting Continents: Enhancing Global Communications with Underwater Infrastructure
The Hidden Drivers of Internet Connectivity
Submarine cables are the unsung heroes of global internet connectivity; they carry massive amounts of internet traffic and enable high-speed communication across continents. The advancement of submarine cables in recent years is a result of the exponential increase in data traffic, which is being fueled by a surge in smartphone usage, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
The continuous development of next-generation network technologies such as 5G, 5G-Advanced (5G-A), and 6G, is set to accelerate these developments further. Cable technology advancements, including optical amplification and higher fiber counts, will enhance performance, ultimately improving speed and capacity.
In the Middle East, internet connectivity is linked by major submarine cables, including the Asia-Africa-Europe 1 (AAE-1) cable, the Europe India Gateway (EIG), the Tata Global Network (TGN), the FALCON cable, the FLAG Europe-Asia cable, the South-East-Asia-Middle-East-Western-Europe (SEA-ME-WE) series, and the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) cable, connecting the region to Europe, Asia, and Africa. These submarine cable systems play significant roles in enhancing connectivity and capacity across the region.
According to Observer Research Foundation, the Red Sea has more than 15 subsea cables linking Europe and Asia, facilitating 80% of Asia’s westward traffic. This insight signifies the strategic importance of the Middle East in global connectivity.
Also Read: Telecom Egypt and Cisco Enhance 2Africa Cable’s Performance
Submarine Cable Disturbances in the Middle East
In recent years, the Middle East’s submarine cable industry has faced significant challenges, highlighting the need for more robust underwater infrastructure.
In 2022, the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable system was severed, causing internet disruptions across Asia and Africa. Spanning 20,000 km and carrying 12.2 Tb per fiber pair, the cable runs from France to Singapore with landings in various countries including Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Djibouti.
However, the region faced a more severe incident when four major submarine cables were damaged in the Red Sea in February, 2024, affecting up to 70% of the traffic flow between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Significantly disrupting communications in the region, these damaged submarine cables forced telecommunication providers, such as Orange, Bayobab, Google, Meta, and Vodafone, to reroute internet traffic.
The affected cables included SEACOM, a 17,000-km cable system connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia; TGN, linking Asia, Europe, and Africa, and North America; AAE-1, a 25,000-km cable system connecting South-East Asia to Europe via Egypt; and the EIG, which connects Europe, the Middle East, and India.
The damages to these Red Sea cables highlighted the vulnerability of the region’s digital infrastructure and the consequences of internet disruptions, which impacted basic software and cloud-based services like Microsoft Office 365.
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Regional Developments
Contributions to regional connectivity have been ongoing. Notably, Saudi Arabia-based telecom operator, stc, announced the inauguration of the 2Africa Pearl submarine cable system. Similarly, technology, media, and telecom (TMT) company, Mobily, inked a cooperation agreement with Telecom Egypt to land the first submarine cable connecting Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
In 2024, UAE-based telecom operator, e&, anchored the subsea cable in Kalba, marking the most extensive subsea cable system landing in the UAE to date.
Recently, Egypt’s leading telecom and subsea cable operator, Telecom Egypt, in collaboration with global cybersecurity company, Cisco, announced the activation of the Mediterranean subsea links on the 45,000-km 2Africa subsea cable system. Dubbed the longest subsea cable project in the world, the 2Africa consortium consists of Bayobab, center3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group, and the West Indian Ocean Cable Company. The cable system will utilize Cisco’s Network Convergence System (NCS), establishing a high-capacity connection between Port Said, Egypt, and Marseille, France, via Genoa, Italy.
Following the activation, Telecom Egypt collaborated with NaiTel to construct a new subsea cable between Egypt and Jordan, further enhancing regional connectivity. The new subsea cable, Coral Bridge, will cross the Gulf of Aqaba and serve as a meeting point for the traffic flow between the east and west.
Significantly, Ooredoo Group partnered with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) early in 2025 to spearhead the launch of one of the largest international submarine cables in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) via its Fibre in Gulf (FIG) submarine cable. Designed to deliver exceptional connectivity to hyperscalers, data centers, telecom operators, and AI providers, the initiative will connect Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Furthermore, SLT-MOBITEL strategically completed the SEA-ME-WE 6 submarine cable landing in Matara, Sri Lanka, addressing the rising connectivity demands in Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
While the submarine cable landscape has seen numerous developments, cybersecurity must remain a top priority. The increasing reliance on submarine cables to power high speed internet globally has necessitated the deployment of robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard these underwater infrastructures from potential threats.
Final Thoughts
The significance of submarine cable systems will continue to grow as we continue moving towards a digital and hyper-connected future.
As the world witnesses an increasing demand for high-capacity data transmission and faster internet speeds, the future of submarine cables will know no boundaries, exhibiting limitless potential.
The Middle East’s position as a leader in adopting modern technologies will drive future advancements in subsea cable systems, enabling innovations yet to transpire.
By merging ongoing technological advancements with existing underwater infrastructures, these unsung heroes will enable enhanced global internet connectivity and advance the future of our interconnected world.
More on Subsea Cable Technology:
Mobily and Sparkle Join Forces to Enhance Connectivity Via Submarine Cable Systems
Ooredoo Oman to Land World’s Largest Subsea Cable System
Mobily and Telecom Egypt Land First Saudi-Owned Subsea Cable Through the Red Sea
