Google has inked a groundbreaking agreement with Chile's government to deploy a 14,800km submarine data cable across the Pacific Ocean, connecting Chile with Australia and Asia by 2027. The pact represents the first such deal between the technology giant and a sovereign nation.

“This is the first submarine cable in the South Pacific, so it’s an important commitment,” Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz told journalists following the signing ceremony, as quoted by AP.

The initiative aims to strengthen Chile's digital connectivity with Asian markets, particularly China, the country's largest trading partner while positioning Chile as a regional technological hub for Latin America. Cristian Ramos, head of telecommunications infrastructure for Alphabet's Latin American unit, confirmed the cable would be accessible to other entities, including technology firms operating in Chile.

While total investment figures remain undisclosed, Chilean officials previously estimated project costs between $300mn and $550mn, with Chile contributing $25mn through state-owned partner Desarrollo Pais, according to general manager Patricio Rey.

"This cable not only meets a technical need, but also represents a bet on resilience, diversification of digital routes, and the opening up of new possibilities for international collaboration," Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren stated at the signing ceremony in Santiago.

The cable promises diverse applications, from enhancing Asian platform performance like TikTok to supporting real-time astronomical data transmission and mining operations. "Mining companies that have operations in Chile and Australia, by having a direct route, we can think about a shared command centre... where the command centres can support each other," Deputy Secretary of Telecommunications Claudio Araya was quoted by Reuters as saying.

This infrastructure development occurs amid intensifying US-China competition for Latin American influence, with subsea cables becoming critical battlegrounds in their technological rivalry. The project could position Chile strategically in global data flows while potentially attracting additional ventures connecting South America with Asia, fundamentally reshaping the region's digital connectivity landscape.