Meta has officially announced Project Waterworth, a 50,000-kilometer subsea cable network that will become the longest in the world upon completion.

The company confirmed the details on Thursday, following earlier reports about its $10 billion-plus investment in the project.

The network will span five continents, connecting landing points in the United States, Brazil, India, South Africa, and other key regions. Meta emphasized India’s role in the project, highlighting its importance in supporting AI services and digital expansion.

Project Waterworth will use cutting-edge technology, featuring 24 fiber pair cables and deep-sea routing techniques that extend to depths of 7,000 meters. Meta also plans to employ new burial techniques to minimize disruptions in politically and geographically sensitive regions.

Geopolitics is a significant factor in Meta’s decision to develop its own subsea infrastructure. The White House recently acknowledged India’s involvement in maintaining and financing undersea cables in the Indian Ocean as part of a broader defense and technology partnership between the U.S. and India.

The project aims to strengthen global digital connectivity, supporting services such as digital communication, video streaming, and online transactions. Additionally, Meta sees the network as critical for expanding AI innovation worldwide.

While Meta has previously invested in subsea cables—co-owning networks like the 2Africa cable with partners including Vodafone and China Mobile—Project Waterworth marks its first fully owned subsea infrastructure. This move puts Meta in direct competition with Google, which has ownership stakes in 33 subsea cable routes.

Meta has not disclosed specific timelines for Project Waterworth’s rollout but has committed to a multi-year investment in its development.