Google announces first AI hub in India

Google's 1st AI hub in India is to be powered by a US$15 B investment spent over five years, from 2026 to 2030. This is Google's largest investment in India to date.

When operational, the new data centre campus will join Google’s network of existing AI data centres across 12 countries. It will benefit from technology developed by Google’s research and development (R&D) centres in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, including the design and development of crucial software and hardware innovations.

Said Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble IT Minister, Government of India: “I would like to thank Google for making this announcement of US$15 billion dollars. This digital infrastructure will go a long way in meeting the goals of our India AI mission. I would also like to thank the Honorable Prime Minister for giving us this vision of using technology in every walk of life. I would like the industry to help re-skill and upskill our IT professionals in a major way, and thank Google for making this a major part of their agenda. AI services are emerging as a totally new category in our digital economy, and we look forward to this new facility being used for developing our youth for AI services.”

Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh said: “This significant investment in Andhra Pradesh marks a new chapter in India’s digital transformation journey. We are proud to host India’s first truly gigawatt-scale data centre and Google’s first AI hub in India, which is a testament to our shared commitment to innovation, AI adoption, and long-term support for businesses and startups in the state.”

Source: Google Cloud. From left: Bikash Koley, VP of Global Infrastructure and Capacity, Google Cloud; Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble IT Minister, Government of India; Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India; Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; Shri Nara Lokesh, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology, Andhra Pradesh; and Shri Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.

"India is experiencing a digital transformation that is unparalleled in pace and scale. At Google Cloud, we are deeply committed to being a foundational partner in this journey, working alongside the Indian government and industry leaders to realise the vision of a truly AI-first nation," said Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian in a blog post.

To be based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, the hub is expected to deliver gigawatt-scale compute to power services globally. The data centre will be delivered together with partners AdaniConnex and Airtel, and feature large-scale energy sources as well as a fibre-optic network.

A new international subsea gateway will also be established, connecting to Google’s over 2 million miles of existing terrestrial and subsea cables. The move will establish Visakhapatnam as a global AI and connectivity hub.

"By bringing multiple international subsea cables to land in Visakhapatnam, we are creating an essential connectivity hub on India’s eastern coast. This new pathway will complement existing landings in Mumbai and Chennai, providing necessary route diversity and increasing the resilience of India's digital backbone," Kurian said.

Google is committed to delivering clean energy in India. The company will work with local partners to deliver new transmission lines, clean energy generation, and energy storage systems in Andhra Pradesh.