Google Expands Pacific Footprint with New Subsea Cables in Papua New Guinea

Alphabet’s Google is set to build three high-capacity subsea cables in Papua New Guinea (PNG) under a project funded by Australia as part of a mutual defense pact, officials said, marking a significant development in upgrading digital infrastructure in the strategically important Pacific Island nation.

The initiative—costing roughly $120 million—was announced as part of commitments under the Pukpuk Treaty, a mutual defense agreement signed in October 2025 between Australia and PNG. The cables will link northern and southern Papua New Guinea and the autonomous region of Bougainville, creating a more resilient and robust digital backbone for the country. 

Strategic Digital Upgrade

According to Peter Tsiamalili, PNG’s Acting Minister for Information and Communications Technology, the entire project is funded through Australia’s treaty commitments and reflects both nations’ shared will to promote digital security, national development, and regional stability. The cables will significantly improve internet infrastructure by reducing reliance on single points of failure, a persistent issue in the Pacific’s connectivity landscape.

Australia and the United States—which strengthened its defense cooperation with PNG with a pact in 2023—view the project as strategically important amid rising Chinese influence in the region. Australian and U.S. military strategists consider PNG’s location north of Australia critical for both economic and security interests.

Connectivity and Economic Benefits

Beyond strategic considerations, the cables are expected to help lower internet costs for PNG consumers, support economic growth, increase educational access, and make the country more attractive to investment from global digital companies and hyperscalers. Tsiamalili said. 

Under the treaty’s terms, Australian defense personnel will also gain access to PNG’s communication systems, including satellite stations and subsea networks—a provision seen as enhancing interoperability between the two countries’ security forces.

Wider Context in the Pacific

The subsea cable project aligns with broader efforts by Australia, the United States, and their partners to expand undersea communications infrastructure across the Pacific, in part to provide alternatives to Chinese-funded projects such as those previously developed with Huawei. Canberra has also committed substantial funds to undersea connectivity in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, reflecting ongoing geopolitical competition. 

In addition to this PNG project, Google is expanding its global network footprint, including plans for a data hub on Australia’s Christmas Island, with additional subsea cables linking to Asia and Africa to enhance global internet resilience.