New Delhi, Feb. 19 -- Google on Wednesday announced a new undersea cable investment linking India to the US, Singapore, South Africa, and Australia as part of a package of infrastructure, skilling, and partnership initiatives unveiled by chief executive Sundar Pichai at a limited-access event in New Delhi.

The announcements position India as a central node in Google's global AI infrastructure ambitions and come amid intensifying competition among American technology companies for influence in the country, especially as New Delhi hosts world leaders and tech leaders for the India AI Impact Summit.

The centrepiece of Wednesday's announcements is the America-India Connect Initiative, which Google said will deliver new subsea cable routes l...