(Ecofin Agency) - Subsea cable operator Seacom announced it has signed a partnership with Tata Communications today March 2 to expand connectivity in new markets.

While Seacom will take advantage of the strong Asian and European presence of Tata Communications' telecom infrastructure to reach markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Marseilles, Frankfurt and Amsterdam, the Indian company will in return take advantage of its partner's telecom infrastructure to reach more markets in Africa.

Byron Clatterbuck, Seacom's CEO, justified the partnership between the two companies by the growing demand for connectivity in the African and Asian markets. According to him, “there has been the technical capability to make this deal for years, but only recently has demand surged between Africa, India and the rest of Asia as a result of recognized market potential.”

Vaneet Mehta, the head of the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa region at Tata Communications, says the partnership is a first step towards expanding collaboration in areas such as the Internet, the cloud, media, and cybersecurity.