Cairo – Mubasher: Telecom Egypt (TE) on Monday said it has entered a strategic partnership with India’s market leader Bharti Airtel for global submarine cable systems.

The deal will allow the Indian telecom firm the indefeasible right of use (IRU) on Middle East North Africa Submarine Cable (MENA Cable) and TE North Cable Systems, TE highlighted in a statement to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX).

The New Delhi-based company will also obtain large capacities on a long-term basis on two new state-of-the-art cable systems, SMW5 & AAE1, the EGX-listed firm added.

The partnership will enable Bharti Airtel to use fibre pairs of MENA cable from Egypt to India passing through Saudi Arabia and Oman, in addition to some fibre pairs from Egypt to Italy.

Telecom Egypt previously reported a 48% year-on-year drop in consolidated profits for the first quarter of 2018, recording EGP 689.6 million from EGP 1.3 billion, including minority shareholders’ rights.