Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have agreed to jointly construct an underground fiber-optic communication line between Temirbaba in Kazakhstan and Bekdash in Turkmenistan. The issue was discussed during a meeting between Turkmenistan’s minister of communications, Khajymurat Khudaiguliyev, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, and Vice Minister Doszhan Musaliyev.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the new line will strengthen the region’s transit potential, increase the capacity of international communication channels and create additional digital routes in Central Asia.

A memorandum of intent between TNS-Plus of Kazakhstan and Turkmentelecom of Turkmenistan on building a cross-border cable link and connecting backbone networks was signed during Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s state visit to Kazakhstan on Nov. 25, 2025.

A joint working group is being established to define technical specifications and prepare the project’s design and cost documentation. Core construction work is expected to be completed within a year.

Fiber-optic communication technology uses light pulses transmitted through thin strands of glass or plastic. Based on the principle of total internal reflection, the signal travels with minimal loss, enabling high speed and large bandwidth.