Google begins work on $15 billion AI hub in Visakhapatnam

Google on Tuesday marked the ceremonial start of construction for its largest artificial intelligence hub outside the United States, with work beginning on the company’s major new project in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

The technology giant had announced in October 2025 that it would invest $15 billion over five years to build the large-scale artificial intelligence and data infrastructure project in the southeastern port city, which is popularly known as “Vizag”.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bikash Koley, Google’s Vice President for Global Infrastructure, said the project marked a major step in the company’s long-term plans for India.

“Today marks the first concrete milestone in Google’s largest commitment to India’s digital future,” Koley said.

“This project represents a $15 billion blueprint to deliver a full stack AI ecosystem,” he added.

“At its core is our gigawatt scale data centre campus, purpose built for the immense computational demand of the AI era, powering services like Gemini and Google Search.”

The project is expected to strengthen India’s growing role in global artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure development as demand for data centres continues to rise worldwide due to the expansion of AI technologies and cloud computing services.

Nara Lokesh, information technology minister for Andhra Pradesh, said the state was positioning Vizag as a major technology destination.

“Excited as we embark on this journey to build India’s most coveted AI and deep-tech hub,” Lokesh said.

Google also outlined plans to strengthen India’s international internet connectivity through the project. Vizag is being developed as a landing point for submarine internet cables linking India with Singapore.

“By establishing Vizag as an international subsea gateway, we will add vital diversity from the existing landings, in Mumbai and Chennai, increasing the resilience of India’s digital backbone and improving economic security,” Koley said.

“New strategic fibre optic routes will further connect India with the rest of the world.”

Koley described the development as a major moment for both the company and the region.“This is a pivotal moment for India, Vizag, and for Google,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)