INDIAN telecoms firm Tata Communications will invest US$430 million (S$648 million) in an Asian Internet data centre and cable system, a person familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

'The investment in the Internet data centre will be about US$180 million, while the investment for the cable system will come to US$250 million,' the person, who declined to be named, told Dow Jones Newswires.

The cable system will be laid from Singapore to Japan, passing through the Philippines, Vietnam and Hong Kong, while the data centre will be based in Singapore, the person said.

Tata Communications, part of India's Tata group, has scheduled a press conference for 0600 GMT (2pm Singapore time) in Singapore. -- AFP