Today, the digital world felt a little smaller. Google announced Dhivaru, a new subsea cable system stretching across the Indian Ocean. This isn’t just about faster internet; it’s about weaving a new digital lifeline, connecting the Maldives, Christmas Island, and Oman. The investment builds upon the Australia Connect initiative, reinforcing the reach and reliability of digital access in a region increasingly vital to the global economy.
The name ‘Dhivaru’ itself is a nod to Maldivian maritime heritage, referencing the line that guides the main sail of traditional boats. It speaks of skill and resilience, mirroring the ambition of this project. In a world increasingly reliant on AI-driven services, like Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (aka Nano Banana) and Vertex AI, robust connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The speed of AI adoption has caught everyone by surprise, and Google is investing to meet this long-term demand.
Beyond the cable itself, Google is also investing in two new connectivity hubs in the Maldives and Christmas Island. These hubs will act as crucial nodes, improving digital connectivity for a vast region encompassing Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Oceania. This strategic placement highlights the growing importance of the Indian Ocean as a nexus of global digital infrastructure.
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, sees this as a vote of confidence: “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 digitized Maldivian economy.”
The connectivity hubs will offer cable switching, content caching, and colocation services. Cable switching ensures that if one cable fails, traffic is automatically rerouted, maintaining high availability. Content caching brings popular content closer to users, reducing latency and improving service quality. Colocation provides space for carriers and local companies to house their IT hardware, fostering a local tech ecosystem.
These hubs are designed to be energy efficient, using less power than a typical data center. Google is also exploring sustainable energy solutions in these locations. As the sun sets over the Indian Ocean, the promise of a more connected future is taking shape, one fiber-optic cable at a time.
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