Google is building secret AI data center on remote Indian Ocean island
Google is reportedly building a secret AI data center on a remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean. Reports link the facility to the Australian military. However, Google has denied all the claims.
Google is reportedly building a secret artificial intelligence (AI) data center in the Indian Ocean. According to Reuters, the tech giant is building the site on Australia’s remote Christmas Island. The report links the facility to a cloud computing deal with Australia’s military, noting the island’s strategic importance for monitoring maritime activity.
However, the company has publicly denied the claims. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said, “We are not building ‘a massive artificial intelligence data centre’ on Christmas Island,” adding, “This is a continuation of our Australia Connect work to deliver undersea cable infrastructure, and we look forward to sharing more soon.”
Despite Google’s denials, the report claims internal documents show that a data site is being built.
In July this year, Australia’s Defense Department signed a three-year cloud agreement with Google.
Why would Google build a data center in the remote Indian Ocean?
Christmas Island, an Australian outlying territory in the Indian Ocean, known for its annual red crab migration, has emerged as a focal point not only for its distinctive wildlife but also for its strategic communications position. The site is seen as an important post to keep an eye on Chinese activity.
Brian Clark, a former US Navy strategist, told Reuters that a data center on Christmas Island could be vital at a time of political crisis. “The data center is partly what allows you to do AI-enabled command and control that you need to do in the future, especially if you rely on uncrewed systems for surveillance missions and targeting missions and even engagements,” he said.
According to Reuters, Google had requested a long-term energy supply deal for a 7 MW data center on Christmas Island using diesel and renewable energy.
Google has submitted an environmental application to connect the 135-square-kilometre island to Darwin, Australia, by subsea cable. Darwin hosts a rotating US Marine deployment, increasing the island’s strategic relevance.
At the center of Google’s activity is the Bosun subsea cable system, designed to connect Darwin and Christmas Island, with onward connectivity extending to Singapore. The name Bosun pays homage to the island’s iconic white-tailed tropicbird as well as maritime tradition. Google’s project also includes an interlink cable that will connect Melbourne, Perth and Christmas Island, expanding digital links across Australia and the wider region.
The Australia Connect initiative, announced by Google in November 2024, aims to enhance digital infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific by laying new sub-sea cables. The move is expected to strengthen ties between Australia and its neighbours, supporting the growing demand for reliable internet and cloud services in the region.
Google is working with partners such as Vocus to install terrestrial fiber pairs connecting Darwin to the Sunshine Coast. This terrestrial link will connect the Bosun cable to the Tabua subsea network, which connects the United States, Australia and Fiji, creating additional redundancy and resiliency for regional communications.