Lightstorm has secured a Rs 25 billion (Rs 25 bn) debt facility led by IndusInd Bank to fund the development of a high-capacity fibre network aimed at linking India’s artificial intelligence infrastructure with major data hubs in Southeast Asia. The 10-year facility is fully underwritten and will support expansion of the company’s AI Superhighway, a deep-trenched terrestrial fibre network focused on the southern corridor. The financing is intended to accelerate rollout of capacity designed for large-scale AI workloads.

The AI Superhighway will connect key AI infrastructure zones across the southern corridor and extend internationally through the I-2SEA subsea cable system to Singapore and Malaysia, providing high-capacity, low-latency connectivity to hyperscale markets in the region. The company described the build as a strategic link between domestic compute clusters and regional digital hubs. The network aims to offer predictable performance for heavy data transfers.

India is emerging as a major market for AI computing as global technology companies and hyperscalers expand data-centre capacity and deploy larger GPU clusters, increasing demand for networks capable of moving vast volumes of data. Industry participants say that growth in data-centre investment is pushing the need for terrestrial and subsea links with consistent latency and throughput. The financing is expected to meet demand from both domestic and international clients.

Lightstorm said its existing footprint spans more than 30,000 km of terrestrial fibre and 21,000 km of subsea fibre and connects over 100 data centres worldwide. The company has a CARE AA- credit rating with a stable outlook and already serves global hyperscalers operating in India. Management indicated the new capital will accelerate both domestic buildout and regional expansion.

The funding comes as technology companies and infrastructure providers race to build the compute and connectivity capacity required for AI applications, underlining the importance of high-speed links between data centres within India and international digital hubs. Observers expect such projects to support immediate capacity needs and longer term regional integration. Lightstorm’s deal exemplifies the push to align network investment with the scale of emerging AI workloads.