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Google has initiated plans to establish an artificial intelligence data centre on Australia's remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, following its earlier cloud services agreement with the Australian Department of Defence. The project, which remains largely confidential, is reportedly part of a broader effort to enhance digital resilience and defence capabilities across the Indo-Pacific. While Google has played down the scale of the project, officials confirmed discussions over energy supply and subsea cable connectivity. Local authorities and residents are now evaluating the centre's environmental and economic impact on the island community.
Google is preparing to construct a significant artificial intelligence data centre on Australia's remote Indian Ocean territory, Christmas Island, after signing a cloud infrastructure agreement with the Department of Defence earlier this year. The plans, revealed through official documents and interviews with government sources, indicate the company's interest in positioning the island as a key node for digital and defence operations. Advertisement
Located roughly 350 kilometres south of Indonesia, Christmas Island has increasingly drawn strategic attention for its potential role in defence surveillance. Experts have suggested that a facility of this kind could serve as an essential command and control point in future regional security operations, particularly those involving monitoring of Chinese naval movements.
The company is reportedly negotiating to lease land near the island's airport, with arrangements under discussion to meet power needs through diesel and renewable sources. Alphabet Inc-owned Google stated that the project forms part of its broader subsea cable network to strengthen digital connectivity across Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, while dismissing reports describing the site as a large AI facility.
Planning submissions reviewed by local officials show that Google has proposed an additional subsea cable connection linking Christmas Island to Asian networks. The Australian Department of Infrastructure has confirmed its ongoing discussions with Google, noting that energy requirements for the project would be managed to avoid disruption to the island's 1,600 residents and local businesses.
Defence analysts observed that Christmas Island had featured in recent military simulation exercises involving Australian, U.S., and Japanese forces, where it was identified as a potential launch point for uncrewed systems and AI-supported defence operations. Former U.S. Navy strategist Bryan Clark remarked that the island's location and infrastructure could enable command and control functions in any future conflict scenario, allowing data processing and coordination through secure cloud systems rather than vulnerable satellite links.
The Australian Department of Defence, which entered into a three-year cloud partnership with Google earlier this year, declined to comment further. Meanwhile, the British military also announced a similar arrangement aimed at improving intelligence collaboration with the United States.
Local authorities on Christmas Island, including Shire President Steve Pereira, are assessing the social and economic implications of Google's proposal before granting construction approval. Pereira stated that the community welcomed the initiative, provided it contributed to local infrastructure, employment, and economic development.
However, residents expressed mixed feelings about the potential strain on energy resources, given the island's heavy reliance on imported diesel fuel. The Department of Infrastructure maintained that the project aligns with the government's objective of diversifying the island's economy beyond mining, provided that environmental and regulatory standards are met.
Sources familiar with the proposal suggested that the location offers Google commercial advantages due to its geographical position between Africa, Asia, and Australia, while also supporting potential defence applications. In recent months, the island has hosted defence training exercises involving the deployment of U.S. missile systems, which received both support and criticism from locals concerned about tourism and environmental effects.
Retired Navy Commodore Peter Leavy, who has worked with Australian defence groups on the island, highlighted its strategic importance for monitoring major maritime routes such as the Sunda, Lombok, and Malacca Straits. He noted that the island's position makes it an ideal base for regional surveillance and defence cooperation efforts.
Google's proposal to establish an AI data centre on Christmas Island marks a new phase in Australia's integration of advanced digital technology with national defence infrastructure. While the company emphasises the project's commercial and connectivity benefits, the strategic and military implications are apparent.
Source - Reuters
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