From Our Correspondent
New Delhi: In what is likely India’s single largest private technology investment, Google announced today that it will invest USD 15 billion over the next five years to establish an artificial intelligence data centre hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — its biggest AI infrastructure push outside the U.S.
Landmark Scale & Vision
-
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian described the project as the largest AI hub the company has built outside the United States.
-
The initial phase will include a 1-gigawatt data centre campus, with plans to scale to multiple gigawatts over time. In earlier reports, Andhra Pradesh officials had estimated the deal at USD 10 billion.
-
The state had also projected the project could create 188,000 jobs.
Strategic Implications & Partnerships
Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed in an X post that he had a detailed discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the company’s plans to establish a major artificial intelligence hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The conversation focused on how the project would fit into India’s digital transformation agenda and contribute to strengthening the country’s AI and cloud infrastructure ecosystem.
Pichai described the upcoming facility as an integrated ecosystem combining gigawatt-scale computing power, a new subsea cable landing station for enhanced international connectivity, and large-scale renewable energy infrastructure to ensure sustainable operations. He said the hub will bring together advanced computing, storage, and networking resources designed to power next-generation AI innovation across industries.
The investment is part of Google’s global infrastructure expansion strategy. The company has announced plans to spend USD 85 billion this year alone on expanding its data centre capacity worldwide, underscoring how AI-led cloud services are driving a new wave of capital expenditure across the tech industry.
According to The Times of India, Bharti Airtel will partner with Google on this project to provide robust telecom and network infrastructure support, ensuring high-speed, low-latency connectivity critical for AI workloads. In addition, Adani Enterprises is reported to be the third strategic partner in the consortium, responsible for infrastructure development and logistics, including energy management and large-scale construction support for the Visakhapatnam campus.
Together, the three entities — Google, Airtel, and Adani — are expected to shape one of India’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a pivotal hub in the global AI and data economy.
Andhra Pradesh’s Ambitions & Role
The state has set an ambitious goal of achieving a total data centre capacity of 6 gigawatts (GW) in the coming years, with the newly announced Google AI and data hub in Visakhapatnam serving as the cornerstone of this vision. According to The Economic Times, the state government views Google’s massive investment as a catalytic anchor that will not only accelerate infrastructure creation but also attract other global and domestic tech players to establish their presence in the region.
The coastal city of Visakhapatnam is already being positioned as a major IT and data centre hub on India’s eastern seaboard. As reported by The Times of India, the Andhra Pradesh government has earlier cleared a ₹87,520 crore investment proposal from Google’s subsidiary, Raiden Infotech, to develop data centre campuses across Tarluvada, Adavivaram, and Rambilli. These sites, strategically located along the Vizag coast, are expected to form the backbone of the state’s digital infrastructure ecosystem, providing both scale and redundancy for future AI and cloud computing operations.
In a competitive environment where Indian states are vying to attract next-generation tech investments, the Google project marks a defining moment for Andhra Pradesh. It elevates the state’s profile as a frontrunner in India’s AI- and cloud-driven growth story, signalling its readiness to compete with traditional technology hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. By combining policy readiness, coastal connectivity, renewable energy potential, and political commitment, Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as the gateway for digital and AI innovation on India’s east coast.
What It Could Mean
If executed effectively, the Google AI and data centre project could firmly establish Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh as a global hub for AI infrastructure, drawing follow-on investments from chip manufacturers, hardware companies, and AI startups looking to leverage the ecosystem. The state’s multi-gigawatt ambition has the potential to shift the regional balance in India’s technology landscape, as data centre investments increasingly hinge on green energy availability, policy stability, and land readiness. Beyond its regional impact, the hub could play a pivotal role in advancing India’s national AI goals — by expanding domestic compute capacity, reducing reliance on overseas cloud infrastructure, lowering latency, and enabling Indian enterprises and research institutions to build and deploy advanced AI models entirely within the country.