• Google is planning to build a large AI data center on Christmas Island, Australia.
• The facility is seen as a strategic asset for monitoring naval activities in the Indian Ocean.
• Negotiations for leasing land near the airport are ongoing, with local mining agreements for energy.
• The project follows a three-year cloud deal between Google and Australia's Department of Defence.
• Subsea cables will enhance communication reliability amidst regional tensions.

Google is set to establish a large artificial intelligence (AI) data center on Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory located about 350 km south of Indonesia. This initiative follows a cloud computing agreement signed with Australia’s Department of Defence earlier this year. Specific details regarding the project, such as its size and cost, remain undisclosed, but experts consider it a strategic asset due to the island's critical position as a military frontline for monitoring Chinese submarine activities in the region, according to Reuters, The Jakarta Post, and India Times.

Military experts emphasize the importance of the infrastructure proposed by Google. The project is reportedly under discussion to be located near the island’s airport, with a local mining company involved in negotiations concerning energy supply. Local authorities recognize the potential economic benefits alongside its military significance, as outlined by the ongoing talks with Christmas Island Shire officials and council meeting records, according to Reuters and The Jakarta Post.

The military implications of this facility have been highlighted in recent tabletop war games involving the Australian, US, and Japanese militaries. According to Bryan Clark, a former US Navy strategist who led the war games, establishing a forward "command and control" node on Christmas Island would be essential in a regional crisis, particularly regarding uncrewed systems for surveillance and targeting missions. The efficiency of cloud infrastructure during such crises is augmented by subsea cables, as they offer greater bandwidth and reliability over satellite communications, which could face jamming threats, as mentioned by Clark in interviews, according to Reuters, The Jakarta Post, and India Times.

In light of the anticipated construction, Google has applied for environmental approvals to build the first subsea cable connecting Christmas Island to Darwin, northern Australia. This cable is crucial for enhancing data communication and will be laid by SubCom, a US-based contractor. This infrastructure not only aims to serve Google’s operational needs but also strengthens the military capability of allied forces in the region, according to Reuters and India Times.