Key Points:
- Google to invest $15 billion (₹1.26 lakh crore) in India over five years, the company’s largest such investment outside the US.
- The tech giant will build a 1-gigawatt AI and data center campus in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
- The AI hub will integrate renewable energy sources, fiber-optic networks, and cutting-edge cloud infrastructure.
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai referred to it as a “landmark development” during the Bharat AI Shakti event in New Delhi.
- Officials say this project aligns with India’s Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions, boosting AI innovation and skill development nationwide.
New Delhi: In a landmark move, American tech giant Google announced a $15 billion (₹1.26 lakh crore) investment in India over five years to establish a massive Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Center hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This will be Google’s largest AI hub outside the United States, signaling India’s emergence as a global tech powerhouse.
The agreement between Google and the Andhra Pradesh government was formally signed in New Delhi, attended by Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and State IT Minister Nara Lokesh.
A 1-Gigawatt Data Hub in Visakhapatnam
The AI campus, to be located near Visakhapatnam’s port area, will initially have a 1-gigawatt computing capacity and is scalable to multiple gigawatts. The facility will host advanced AI infrastructure, renewable power sources, cloud storage systems, and a high-capacity fiber-optic grid.
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said the hub will become a “global center for AI innovation,” powering next-generation cloud and AI solutions not only for India but for Asia and beyond.
Google’s Commitment to Sustainable Innovation
Google CEO Sundar Pichai called the investment a “landmark development” and reaffirmed the company’s dedication to sustainable growth.
“This gigawatt-scale AI hub will house data locally, support AI-driven innovation across industries, and run entirely on renewable energy,” Pichai said.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the project’s role in achieving India’s AI Mission and urged Google to explore new undersea cable routes via the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to enhance connectivity.
Impact on Employment and Digital Economy
The new data campus is expected to create thousands of high-skilled tech jobs and generate extensive business opportunities for startups, power suppliers, and local industries.
Andhra Pradesh’s IT Minister Nara Lokesh said the investment marks “
