A new Australian cable centre will help bolster undersea networks across the Indo-Pacific and ensure reliable communication and internet services for smaller nations.
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The announcement comes out of the Quad foreign ministers' meeting - which includes Australia, Japan, India and the United States - in Tokyo on Monday.
China is trying to muscle its way into the sector as part of a jostle for influence in the Pacific, sparking concerns about data harvesting and security.
More than $18 million will be set aside for the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre across the next four years.
It will work across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific by providing technical assistance, training, research, analysis and information-sharing between governments and industry partners.
More than 95 per cent of international data is transmitted through undersea telecommunications cables.
"This work is integral to the prosperity and security of our region," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.
"The centre is ... an important demonstration of the Quad's delivery in the region, responding to the Indo-Pacific's most pressing challenges."
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs is set to lock in a lead contractor for the rollout from August, which will include technical specialist advisors.
The initiative was given the green light at the 2023 Quad leaders' summit.
Australia has committed more than $350 million to undersea cable infrastructure in partnership with East Timor, Palau, East Micronesia, Tonga and Tuvalu.
Australian Associated Press
