In a move that dramatically redraws the global map of artificial intelligence infrastructure, Google announced Tuesday it will invest a staggering $15 billion over the next five years to establish its first AI data hub in India. The multi-faceted project, to be built in the port city of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, represents the technology giant’s single largest investment in the country to date and its biggest AI hub outside of the United States.
The commitment, unveiled at a high-profile event in New Delhi, immediately positions India as a cornerstone in the global race for AI dominance, providing the crucial, high-performance computing power required to train the next generation of large language models like Gemini.
The Visakhapatnam facility will not be a typical data center. Termed a “gigawatt-scale” campus, the project is a colossal, integrated infrastructure initiative combining three critical components:
- Gigawatt-Scale Compute Capacity: A massive data center campus designed for the extreme demands of AI and deep learning, housing the high-density GPU and TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) clusters essential for running complex AI models.
- New International Subsea Gateway: The construction of a new cable landing station in Visakhapatnam to anchor multiple international subsea cables, connecting India’s eastern coast directly to Google’s vast global fiber-optic network and strengthening the country’s digital backbone.
- Large-Scale Green Energy Infrastructure: A commitment to powering the enormous facility with clean energy, including co-investment in new transmission lines, clean power generation, and innovative energy storage systems in Andhra Pradesh.
A Triumvirate of Titans
Crucially, Google has partnered with two of India’s corporate heavyweights to bring the project to fruition:
- Adani Group (AdaniConneX): The joint venture will co-develop the core AI data center infrastructure and lead the investment in the green energy systems required to sustain the massive power demands of the facility.
- Bharti Airtel: The telecom major will provide low-latency connectivity, establishing the high-capacity intra- and inter-city fiber networks essential for distributing the hub’s computational power across India.
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian hailed the venture as a “landmark investment in India’s digital future,” noting that the hub will deploy the company’s full AI stack and bring its industry-leading technology closer to enterprises and developers across the country.
India’s AI Ambition Takes Center Stage
The announcement was warmly received by the Indian government, which views the investment as a powerful endorsement of its “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) vision and the burgeoning “IndiaAI Mission.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a discussion with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, took to social media, expressing his delight and stating that the investment “will be a powerful force in democratizing technology” and “secure India’s place as a global technology leader.”
Beyond the technology, the economic ripple effect is expected to be transformative for the region. State officials project the AI hub will generate up to 188,000 jobs—both direct and indirect—cementing Visakhapatnam’s status as a major global technology destination. The local housing of data and high-performance compute capacity is also vital for the development of “Sovereign AI,” ensuring that India’s digital future is built on secure, in-country infrastructure.
As the world races toward an AI-driven economy, Google’s $15 Billion AI Gambit is more than just a capital investment; it is a strategic declaration that places India firmly at the forefront of the next technological frontier.