Top News

Tech major Meta has reportedly onboarded Sify Technologies as its landing partner for its multi-billion dollar under-sea cable project, Waterworth, in India. Sources told ET that the contract is estimated to be pegged at $5 Mn (about INR 44.3 Cr).

As per the report, Sify will be tasked with providing the required onshore infrastructure and landing services that enable the connection of Meta’s cable system to India’s broadband and data center network. The tech giant has chosen Mumbai and Visakhapatnam as the landing sites for this project.

Inc42 has sent queries to Meta and Sify Technologies for further details of the contract. The story will be updated based on their responses.

Meta’s Waterworth project is a multi-billion dollar initiative to deploy the world’s longest and most technologically advanced undersea cable system, spanning approximately 50,000 kms and connecting India, the United States, Brazil, South Africa, and several other regions across five continents.

The company announced the project earlier in February 2025 and is expecting to complete the same by 2030. At the time of the launch, Meta tagged India as one of its largest markets to be connected with the project. “Meta is investing in India — one of its largest markets — bringing the world’s longest, highest capacity and most technologically advanced subsea cable project to connect India, the US, and other locations,” a Meta spokesperson said back then.

The project is being undertaken to improve the global digital connectivity for the tech company, especially for high-capacity services like AI and cloud computing. Meta’s services that will benefit from the move include Vibe, the company’s AI-based video making tool.

Besides Waterworth, Meta is also expanding its subsea cable infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the introduction of Candle, the largest capacity subsea cable system in APAC, set to be operational by 2028.

Announcing the APAC cable plans earlier this week, Meta is looking to set up the infra across 8,000 kilometers and connect Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

In addition to Candle, Meta has completed the Bifrost cable connecting Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the US, with plans for future extension to Mexico in 2026, and the Echo and Apricot cable systems that enhance intra-Asia and transpacific connectivity.

“Together, Candle, Echo, Bifrost, and Apricot will enable the Asia-Pacific region with intra-Asia connectivity and transpacific bridges to the Americas. Additionally, our investments in projects such as 2Africa, will chart a path to India, the Middle East, and Europe, while Project Waterworth will enable global connectivity,” the company said in a blogpost on October 5.

Meanwhile, Sify Technologies provides cloud services, data centre services and telecommunications services in India. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Chennai, Sify is one of India’s largest and most comprehensive information and communications technology (ICT) service providers. The Fortune 500 company was also behind the nation’s first private ISP and has since evolved into a market leader for digital transformation.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the company was planning to invest $5 Bnover a period of five years, to build smaller AI inferencing facilities in 20 tier-II cities.

The development comes at a time when Meta is planning to double down its investments in AI technology and further build its AI model Llama to become the most advanced AI model in the world. Moreover, Meta is also planning to expand its India presence in the country by setting newer offices in Begalluru and hiring engineers for AI roles.

At the heart of this expansion lies the emergence of India as one in being the hub for AI technologies in the coming years as the Indian AI market is projected to become a $17 Bn opportunity by 2030.

The post Sify Technologies To Connect India To Meta’s Waterworth Project appeared first on Inc42 Media.