Google has announced a significant expansion of its global digital infrastructure with the launch of Dhivaru, a new trans-Indian Ocean subsea cable system set to connect the Maldives, Christmas Island and Oman. The initiative forms part of the company’s broader Australia Connect programme, aimed at strengthening the reach and resilience of digital connectivity across the region.
The tech giant said the investment reflects soaring global demand for its AI-driven services, including Gemini 2.5 Flash Image and Vertex AI, noting that robust international connectivity has become essential as AI adoption accelerates beyond earlier predictions.
The name Dhivaru refers to the line that controls a Maldivian traditional sailing vessel’s main sail — a nod to the skill and heritage of early island navigators.
Alongside the new subsea cable, Google confirmed plans to establish two regional connectivity hubs in the Maldives and Christmas Island. These facilities will play a central role in improving digital infrastructure for countries across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Oceania.
Maldives Welcomes a ‘Landmark’ Investment
The President of the Maldives hailed the announcement as a vote of confidence in the island nation’s economic direction.
“Google’s decision to invest in the Maldives is a strong signal of confidence in our country’s stable and open investment environment, and a direct contribution to my vision for a diversified, inclusive, and digitised Maldivian economy,” he said. “As the world moves rapidly toward an era defined by digital transformation and artificial intelligence, this project reflects how the Maldives is positioning itself at the crossroads of global connectivity.”
Local telecom operators also welcomed the project. Ooredoo Maldives CEO and Managing Director Khalid Al Hamadi described it as “a major step forward” for the nation’s digital transformation, while Dhiraagu CEO Ismail Rasheed said partnering with one of the world’s largest technology companies marked “another milestone” in strengthening the Maldives’ presence in global subsea infrastructure.
A New Generation of Connectivity Hubs
Google’s connectivity hubs are designed to future-proof regional digital infrastructure through three key capabilities: cable switching, content caching, and colocation.
Cable switching will enable traffic to be automatically rerouted through alternative subsea cables if one experiences a fault, significantly reducing downtime for users across the region.
Content caching, which stores popular content closer to users, is expected to reduce latency and improve performance for digital services — a particularly important feature for island nations where long-distance data travel increases delays.
Meanwhile, colocation will provide local carriers and businesses with access to infrastructure to house their IT equipment, supporting the growth of the digital ecosystem in areas where high-quality data centre facilities are limited.
Energy Efficient Infrastructure with Local Impact
Google emphasised that subsea cables and connectivity hubs consume far less energy than traditional data centres, even when supporting multiple cables and storage systems. Where the hubs’ power demand is significant for smaller locations, the company said it is exploring ways to support local investment in renewable energy solutions.
The company added that the new hubs on the Maldives and Christmas Island are ideally positioned to boost the resilience of the Indian Ocean’s internet backbone, support local economic growth, and extend the benefits of AI to communities worldwide.
Google said it will continue expanding its subsea infrastructure network and plans to announce additional cables and hubs in the future.
