The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ramping up investments in Asia and the Pacific with a USD70 billion push into energy and digital infrastructure through 2035, signaling a major shift toward regional connectivity as a driver of growth.
The multilateral lender said the twin initiatives will focus on linking power grids across borders and expanding high-speed digital networks, aiming to lower costs, boost trade, and widen access to electricity and internet services.
“Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” said Masato Kanda, ADB president. “By linking power grids and digital networks across borders, we can lower costs, expand opportunity, and bring reliable power and digital access to hundreds of millions of people.”
At the core is the Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative, which targets $50 billion in investments to connect national grids and enable cross-border electricity trade, particularly for renewable energy. The plan marks a shift from isolated national systems to a more integrated regional market, building on existing programs such as the ASEAN Power Grid.
ADB aims to integrate around 20 gigawatts of renewable energy, roll out 22,000 circuit-kilometers of transmission lines, and improve energy access for 200 million people by 2035. The initiative is also expected to generate 840,000 jobs and cut regional power emissions by 15 percent.
Alongside energy, ADB is allocating $20 billion for the Asia-Pacific Digital Highway, a program designed to expand broadband access and prepare economies for artificial intelligence-driven growth. Investments will include fiber-optic networks, satellite systems, and regional data centers, along with policy support on cybersecurity and digital regulation.
By 2035, the bank expects to deliver first-time internet access to 200 million people and improved connectivity to another 450 million, while reducing costs in remote areas by up to 40 percent and supporting the creation of 4 million jobs.
ADB will fund a significant portion of both programs directly while mobilizing private sector and partner financing, underscoring its growing role in shaping the region’s infrastructure and digital transformation agenda.
