New Delhi: Tech giant Google announced on Tuesday its largest-ever investment in India, unveiling plans to spend USD 15 billion over the next five years to build a state-of-the-art AI infrastructure hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The project will include a gigawatt-scale data centre, developed in partnership with AdaniConneX and Bharti Airtel, and is expected to generate 5,000–6,000 direct jobs and 20,000–30,000 total employment opportunities in the state.
The Visakhapatnam AI hub will be Google’s largest facility outside the US, featuring a fiber-optic network and data centre powered by clean energy.
The project will also include the construction of a new international subsea gateway, providing high-performance connectivity for AI and cloud computing.
“This is the largest AI hub we are building anywhere in the world outside the US,” said Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, speaking at the event where the formal agreement was signed.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai described the development as “landmark,” highlighting its combination of gigawatt-scale compute capacity, energy infrastructure, and subsea connectivity to accelerate AI innovation in India.
The initiative reflects a broader trend of US tech companies expanding in India amid rapid growth in AI adoption.
Amazon has pledged USD 12.7 billion in cloud infrastructure by 2030, OpenAI plans a 1-GW data centre, and Microsoft is also scaling its footprint.
Analysts predict India’s data centre market will surpass USD 100 billion by 2027.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, welcomed the investment, noting it will “democratize technology, ensure AI for all, boost the digital economy, and secure India’s place as a global technology leader.”
The project, scheduled from 2026 to 2030, will see co-investment in clean energy generation, transmission lines, and energy storage systems, aligning with India’s sustainable development goals.
Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, emphasized the facility’s role in powering AI-driven solutions for sectors including healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and finance.
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Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted the state’s ambition to host 6 GW of data centre capacity by 2029-30, with the Visakhapatnam hub representing a significant portion of this target.
The government has facilitated speedy approvals for the project, according to Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Google’s statement also noted that the hub is projected to generate at least USD 15 billion in US GDP over five years through increased cloud and AI adoption, along with the involvement of American talent in its development and operation.
With this investment, Google aims to establish a cutting-edge AI ecosystem in India, enabling enterprises, developers, and researchers to accelerate innovation and address complex challenges across critical sectors.
