Lightstorm bets $500 mn on fibre networks to tap India’s AI data centre boom

Lightstorm is committing nearly $500 million (about ₹4,750 crore) to upgrade India’s digital connectivity for the AI era. The investment funds two main projects. The first is a dedicated “AI Superhighway,” a deep-trenched, high-capacity fibre network along India’s southern corridor. The second is the I-2SEA subsea cable system, which will link India directly with Singapore and Malaysia.

The expansion is backed by a ₹2,500 crore, 10-year debt facility from IndusInd Bank. Lightstorm’s Group CEO and MD, Amajit Gupta, said the goal is to raise the quality of India’s fibre to global standards so the country can compete in the AI race.

AI workloads and hyperscale data centres need networks with very low latency and very high bandwidth, which older networks can’t deliver. Industry analysts expect demand for dedicated fibre links to keep growing as more companies adopt AI. Lightstorm’s fibre network is built to meet that demand. It already includes more than 30,000 km of terrestrial fibre and 21,000 km of subsea fibre, and it connects over 100 data centres.

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