Updated on: Oct 14, 2025 | 8:22 PM IST
Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh: Google has announced the establishment of its second-largest AI hub outside the United States in Vizag, marking the company’s biggest investment in India to date. The technology giant plans to invest $15 billion over the next five years to deploy its complete AI stack at the new hub. The announcement was made following the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Google and the Andhra Pradesh government to develop the AI hub and associated infrastructure.
The launch event, titled Bharat AI Shakti, was attended by several dignitaries including Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, and other senior officials.
Google’s Plans for Vizag AI Hub
According to Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud CEO, “This hub is part of a global network of AI centres in 12 countries, but it will be the largest one anywhere in the world outside the US.” The hub will feature a massive data centre campus, built in partnership with AdaniConneX and Airtel, adding gigawatt-scale compute capacity to support Google products and enable Indian businesses to leverage AI capabilities effectively.
The project also includes a new international subsea cable landing in Vizag, designed to enhance India’s internet speed and global digital connectivity. Kurian highlighted that Google has operated in India for 21 years and employs over 14,000 people in the country, underlining the company’s commitment to the Indian technology ecosystem.
Government and Industry Perspectives
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reflected on India’s technology evolution, from Hyderabad’s HITEC City in the late 1990s to the present-day launch of advanced AI hubs. “With India’s high penetration and use of AI, this project will take our technological capabilities to the next level. The combination of digital connectivity, data centres, AI compute, and integration of historical and real-time data will be transformative,” he said. Naidu also linked the project to India’s long-term development vision, asserting that such initiatives can accelerate the achievement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 goal.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw suggested further expansion of India’s data infrastructure, proposing the Andaman Islands as a future global data hub akin to Singapore. He also highlighted plans for a Vizag-Sittwe (Myanmar) link to improve digital connectivity for India’s North-Eastern states. Vaishnaw emphasized that the AI compute facility at Vizag will integrate with India’s AI Mission, which currently provides over 38,000 GPUs, including Nvidia GPUs, to startups, researchers, and students at subsidized rates.
Sustainability and Energy Considerations
Large data centres often face scrutiny for high energy and water consumption. Addressing these concerns, Naidu noted that Andhra Pradesh has surplus resources and expects no issues in meeting the hub’s energy requirements. Google will collaborate with local partners to deploy clean energy solutions and strengthen the state electricity grid, ensuring sustainable and efficient operations.
Karan Bajwa, President of Google Cloud for the APAC region, highlighted Google’s commitment to environmental sustainability. “We aim to achieve Net Zero by 2030 and are already carbon neutral. Many of the data centres we build operate entirely on clean energy, which guides our location selection globally,” he said.
CEO Sundar Pichai on Google AI Hub in India
Google CEO Sundar Pichai, in a post on X, shared that he had discussed the project with Prime Minister Modi, emphasizing the scale and significance of the hub. He stated, “This hub combines gigawatt-scale compute capacity, a new international subsea gateway, and large-scale energy infrastructure. Through this investment, we aim to accelerate AI innovation in India, drive growth across enterprises, and provide cutting-edge technology to users nationwide.”
Strategic Impact
The Vizag AI hub represents a milestone for India’s technology sector, signaling global confidence in India as a hub for AI research, development, and deployment. By integrating advanced computing capacity, enhanced digital connectivity, and sustainable energy infrastructure, the hub is expected to serve as a catalyst for AI-driven innovation in the country, benefiting enterprises, startups, researchers, and the wider population.
The project also strengthens India’s position in the global digital economy, providing infrastructure to compete with leading AI hubs worldwide and supporting the government’s broader vision of a technology-driven, Viksit Bharat.
Leave a Reply