The Caspian Sea is becoming more than a link between Central Asia and the South Caucasus. It is emerging as a potential gateway for the digital traffic connecting Asia and Europe.

That ambition was reflected in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, where regional cooperation and connectivity featured against a backdrop of shifting geopolitical alignments and growing concerns over the security of critical infrastructure. The launch of the Trans-Caspian Fiber-Optic Cable Line by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, offers a concrete expression of that ambition.

For years, much of the data traffic between Asia and Europe has depended on routes running through Russia or via the Middle East and the Red Sea. Disruptions to undersea cables have exposed the vulnerabilities of existing networks, strengthening the case for alternative connections. The new link across the Caspian could help diversify those routes, giving Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan a more prominent role in the infrastructure underpinning the digital economy.

The question is no longer simply how goods and energy move across Eurasia, but who will carry its data and, certainly, who will benefit from the growing demand for secure, high-capacity connections.

Implemented by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan under the Digital Silk Way initiative, the project opens up new opportunities for digital connectivity between Asia and Europe. A cable stretching approximately 380 kilometres has been laid along the seabed of the Caspian Sea between Sumgayit........

© AzerNews