Google Cloud: India's First AI Hub in Visakhapatnam
Google Cloud has committed US$15bn to develop a digital infrastructure project in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which will become India's first AI hub.
The investment, Google's largest in the country, represents a multi-faceted initiative that includes a gigawatt-scale data centre, a new international subsea gateway and clean energy solutions to support it.
The project aims to provide the digital foundations required to meet India's increasing data demands and global compute requirements.
The AI hub is part of Google's broader commitment to support the Indian government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision for a technologically advanced nation. The investment could also enhance technological cooperation between India and the United States, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
“India is experiencing a digital transformation of pace and scale,” says Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.
He adds: “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.”
The Visakhapatnam AI hub will deploy the full AI stack, which combines powerful compute capacity with new energy generation and an expanded fibre-optic network. It is designed to accelerate AI-driven transformation across sectors such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare and research.
Boosting India’s international connectivity
A key component of the US$15bn investment is the establishment of a new international subsea gateway in Visakhapatnam.
The development will create multiple new subsea cable landings on India’s eastern coast.
The new routes will complement the existing connectivity infrastructure that is centred around Mumbai and Chennai, providing crucial redundancy and diversity for the nation's network.
By expanding international bandwidth and introducing new data pathways, the project aims to improve the resilience of India's digital infrastructure while potentially reducing latency for both private users and enterprises.
“Our commitment extends beyond the data centre walls,” explains Thomas.
He continues: “This investment includes the construction of a major new international subsea gateway. By bringing multiple international subsea cables to land in Visakhapatnam, we are creating an essential connectivity hub on India’s eastern coast.”
The new connectivity is expected to play a vital role in supporting India’s growing data centre ecosystem and enabling faster, more reliable access to AI-powered services.
Gigawatt-scale data and power infrastructure
Central to the project is a purpose-built data centre campus designed to deliver gigawatt-scale compute power.
Google has stated the facility will be constructed to the same global standards as the infrastructure supporting its core platforms like Search, YouTube and Workspace. This ensures high levels of resilience, scalability and energy efficiency.
The facility will be equipped to handle both global workloads and rising domestic demand, giving Indian enterprises and startups access to advanced cloud infrastructure.
To deliver the project, Google will collaborate with partners including AdaniConnex and the telecommunications company Airtel. The collaboration will ensure robust power and connectivity for large enterprises and technology firms.
“To meet India’s digital demands, the Visakhapatnam AI hub will include a purpose-built data centre campus capable of gigawatt-scale compute capacity,” says Thomas.
He adds: “It is critical that businesses, developers and researchers have access to the highest-performance, lowest-latency services.”
According to Google, the investment is expected to generate thousands of local jobs in construction, engineering and data centre operations.
A foundation for a digital future
Sustainability is a central element of the Visakhapatnam hub’s design.
Google has confirmed it plans to collaborate with partners to deliver new transmission lines, renewable energy generation and energy storage systems in Andhra Pradesh.
The initiative will contribute to expanding India’s clean energy portfolio while ensuring the data centre operates with high energy efficiency.
The Visakhapatnam site is expected to meet similar environmental performance benchmarks to Google's other data centres, which are among the world's most efficient.
The Visakhapatnam AI hub marks a step in India’s digital evolution. Thomas says the project represents both a technological and economic milestone for India and Google Cloud alike.
“The Google AI hub in Visakhapatnam is a landmark investment in India’s digital future,” he says.
Thomas adds: “We believe that by delivering industry-leading AI infrastructure at this scale, we are creating meaningful opportunities for growth and a transformative impact for society.”
