Google on Tuesday announced plans to invest $15 billion in India over the next five years, unveiling an ambitious project to build a massive data centre and artificial intelligence hub in the country’s southern region.
“This will be the largest AI hub we are developing anywhere outside the United States,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, during an event in New Delhi.
Kurian revealed that the project will feature a gigawatt-scale AI hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, with the potential to “scale to multiple gigawatts” in the future.
The investment comes amid a surge in demand for AI-driven tools and services across India, which is expected to reach over 900 million internet users by the end of the year.
India’s Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, commended Google for its commitment, stating that the initiative will significantly advance the nation’s India AI vision.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu described the announcement as a “very happy day,” while the state’s Technology Minister, Nara Lokesh, hailed it as a “game-changing investment” resulting from “a year of intense discussions and relentless effort.”
“This marks a massive leap for our state’s digital future, innovation, and global presence,” Lokesh posted on X. “This is just the beginning.”
The announcement follows similar moves by other major AI companies expanding into India. Earlier this month, U.S. startup Anthropic revealed plans to open an office in the country next year after CEO Dario Amodei met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi, in a post on X, praised India’s “vibrant tech ecosystem and talented youth” as key drivers of AI innovation, emphasizing the goal to “harness AI for growth.”
OpenAI has also announced it will launch an India office later this year, with CEO Sam Altman noting that ChatGPT usage in India has quadrupled over the past 12 months.
In July, AI firm Perplexity partnered with Indian telecom giant Airtel, offering its 360 million customers a free one-year Perplexity Pro subscription.
— AFP
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