Ooredoo Maldives’ CEO, MD Khalid Al Hamadi states the company is proud to be powering the next phase of the ‘Digital Maldives’ with Google’s ‘Dhivaru’ project.
Ooredoo Maldives and Dhiraagu has entered into a partnership with Google to implement ‘Dhivaru’, a project to establish a new connectivity hub in the Maldives, Dhivaru. Dhivaru is a new Trans-Indian Ocean subsea cable system that will connect the Maldives, Christmas Island and Oman.
This investment will expand the Australia Connect initiative, which aims to enhance the reach, reliability, and resilience of digital connectivity in Australia and the Indo-Pacific, further strengthening digital links across the Indian Ocean. In addition to the cable project, Google will invest in establishing two new regional connectivity hubs. The Maldives and Christmas Island are well-positioned to serve as hubs, improving digital connectivity for regions including Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Oceania.
Economic Ministry welcomed Google’s investment in a statement which described the project as a crucial initiative which will help establish Maldives as a regional digital connectivity hub in the Indian Ocean region.
Commenting on the partnership, Ooredoo Maldives’ CEO and MD Al Hamadi said the project presents a major step forward in strengthening the nation’s digital infrastructure and enabling the next wave of digital transformation.
“Ooredoo Maldives continues to expand world-class connectivity and digital services nationwide. This progress opens new opportunities for businesses such as tourism, enabling smarter operations, improved customer experiences and greater global reach. We are proud to be powering the next phase of the Digital Maldives,” he said.
Connectivity hubs are strategic investments intended to future-proof regional networks and speed up next-generation services by offering three key functions: cable switching, content caching, and colocation.
Subsea cables are highly energy-efficient, meaning that even with multiple cables, content storage, and colocation services, a Google connectivity hub uses far less power than a conventional data center. These hubs are mainly dedicated to networking and localized storage, rather than the heavy computing demands required for AI, cloud services, and other major internet infrastructure.
These facilities will support Google products, boost local economies, and deliver the benefits of AI to people and businesses.
According to Economic Ministry, the facility developed in Maldives will be capable of supporting existing international submarine cable systems linked to the Maldives such as PEACE, IAX or SEA-ME-WE 6.
Connectivity points in Kulhudhuffushi (north), Greater Male' (central), and Hithadhoo (south) will form a geographically distributed network that enhances both national resilience and international relevance.
The ministry highlighted that Google’s investment reflects growing global confidence in the Maldives as a destination for high-value digital infrastructure. It also opens the door to future growth in cloud services, fintech, digital content, and technology start-ups.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu described the investment as a “strong signal of global confidence” in the Maldives’ stable and investor-friendly environment. He said the project aligns with his vision for a diversified, inclusive, and digitally empowered economy, and reaffirms the Maldives’ readiness to play a proactive role in shaping global digital infrastructure.