Google officially broke ground on what it describes as its largest investment in India's digital infrastructure to date, launching construction of an AI hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in a ceremony attended by senior officials from the Indian central government, the state government, and executives from partner companies AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel.

The groundbreaking took place at Tarluvada, Andhra Pradesh, and marked the start of a project that Google says is designed to serve as a foundational element of India's Viksit Bharat 2047 development vision.

A USD 15 Billion Commitment Over Five Years

The Visakhapatnam project is part of a broader USD 15 billion investment plan that Google announced in October 2025, to be deployed across a five-year period from 2026 to 2030.

The initiative is intended to establish what Google describes as a comprehensive AI ecosystem in India, with the Visakhapatnam hub forming the physical and technical core of that effort.

The hub will include India's first gigawatt-scale AI infrastructure, with nearly one gigawatt of capacity concentrated at a single location. It will comprise three data center campuses, along with participation in the America-India Connect initiative, which involves the expansion of a fiber-optic network connecting the two countries.

The project also includes a long-term clean energy strategy aimed at bringing new clean energy supply to the Indian electricity grid.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, described the groundbreaking as "a powerful realization of our shared vision with the Indian government, and an inflection point for the country's AI-native future," adding that the hub would serve as "a catalyst for growth built on deep community partnerships."

Partners Leading Construction

AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel, the data center joint venture arm of Bharti Airtel, are leading the construction of the data center buildings and connecting infrastructure at the site.

Google will use the completed facilities to deploy advanced AI capabilities and scale digital services across India. Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Group, framed the scale of the project in terms of its implications for the country's digital trajectory.

"What we are building in Visakhapatnam, nearly 1 GW in a single location, signals that shift," he said. "When energy becomes more affordable and increasingly powered by clean sources, intelligence becomes more accessible, and that is how India will lead the next phase of digital growth."

Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel, said the partnership would leverage a full range of Airtel's infrastructure assets, including data centers using green power, pan-India ultra-low latency fiber, and a next-generation cable landing station.

"We will ensure that India sets the pace for innovation and sustainable growth, not just for our people, but for the whole world," Vittal said.

Government Backing at the Highest Levels

The ceremony drew prominent participation from both the central and state governments. Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, attended alongside Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and Nara Lokesh, the state's Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications.

Vaishnaw connected the project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's broader technology agenda. "The India AI Hub and three subsea cables landing in Visakhapatnam will become very important infrastructure for the country's journey forward," he said, thanking Google for its "continued trust in India." Chief Minister Naidu positioned the hub within Andhra Pradesh's wider ambitions to position itself as a leading investment destination.

"Google's AI hub in Visakhapatnam will be a cornerstone of our growing tech corridor, driving innovation, creating high-value opportunities for our youth, and strengthening our position in the global digital economy," he said.

Naidu added that the state's intent extended beyond attracting investment, stating that local talent, startups, and enterprises are envisioned as "active partners in this technology-driven growth story."

The ceremony also included the participation of the U.S. Consulate General, represented by Smt. Laura Williams, reflecting an international dimension to the project tied to the America-India connectivity initiative.

Infrastructure Context and National Significance

The groundbreaking coincided with what the announcement described as a broader digital infrastructure milestone for India, with three subsea cables scheduled to land in Visakhapatnam.

Vaishnaw specifically cited these cable landings alongside the AI hub as infrastructure that would be critical to India's forward progress. Bikash Koley, Vice President of Google Global Infrastructure at Google Cloud, participated in the ceremony alongside Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ, and Rakesh Mittal, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises.

The project was first publicly announced in October 2025, and groundbreaking transitions it from planning into active construction. Google described the investment as reflecting a long-term commitment to India's economic and environmental resilience, with clean energy provisioning forming a stated pillar of the hub's operational model.

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