This evening, His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih inaugurated the landing of the state-of-the-art IAX (India Asia Express) submarine cable at the Ocean Connect Maldives Hulhumale’ cable landing site.

Ocean Connect Maldives (OCM), a subsidiary company of the Maldives Fund Management Corporation (MFMC), signed an agreement with Reliance JIO to establish a submarine cable in Hulhumale’ on 21st February 2022.

Under the strategic initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development, this project aims to drive the Maldives into a new era of technological and socio-economic development, reshaping its digital landscape for a brighter future. This project will provide over 8 times the current capacity while the next-generation ultra-high-speed system will meet the nation's needs for the next few years. This cutting-edge infrastructure will greatly improve internet connectivity, reduce latency, and boost network performance. The IAX submarine cable will connect the Maldives to Mumbai and Singapore.

Minister of Economic Development, H.E Fayyaz Ismail, speaking at the event today, stated: “This milestone is in line with our commitment to enhance the Digital Infrastructure of the Maldives. The Cable is an initial step towards improving our connectivity infrastructure, creating immense opportunities for our citizens by offering secure, affordable, and top-notch services. Our ultimate goal is to diversify our economy and position ourselves as a crucial communications hub in South Asia.

Beyond economic progress, this endeavor will drive social development by ensuring highspeed internet access across the Maldives, and introduce a real time metaverse experience while facilitating the attainment of our vision for equitable development”.

Speaking at the groundbreaking event, the CEO of Ocean Connect Maldives Mr. Abdul Nafiu Thaufeeq stated: "We are thrilled to announce the successful landing of our submarine cable in the Maldives in record time. It took us just 536 days from the date of signing the contract with Jio Infocomm to land the cable in Maldives. This achievement is not only a testament to our team's dedication and expertise but also the beginning of an exciting journey towards transforming the digital landscape of the Maldives. As we embark on this new milestone, we are committed to introducing multiple innovative initiatives that will revolutionize connectivity, enhance communication, and drive progress for the people of Maldives. Together, we are shaping a brighter, more connected future for our nation."

The investment in the IAX cable system will serve as the foundation for the Government’s vision of the new digital economy of Maldives with the aim to achieve a fully connected Maldives, enabling swift digital transformation.

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