Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Launch 380-Kilometer Undersea Fiber Optic Cable Across the Caspian

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan officially launched a 380-kilometer submarine fiber optic cable on October 15, laid along the bottom of the Caspian Sea. The project was implemented jointly by the two countries' national telecommunications operators — Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom.

The launch ceremony was attended by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. Tokayev characterized the new cable as a digital corridor, emphasizing its strategic international significance and connection to the development of the Middle Corridor — a key trade and transport route linking Asia and Europe while bypassing Russia.

The new infrastructure creates a direct digital channel between Central Asia and China, on one hand, and European markets on the other, significantly strengthening the region's telecommunications connectivity. The cable launch fits into a broader strategy by both countries to diversify transit routes and expand their digital presence in international data transmission markets.