Google Eyes $15B AI Hub In Vizag After Lokesh Visit
Google is moving ahead with plans to set up a major AI-focused data centre in Visakhapatnam after a review meeting between Andhra Pradesh IT and Industries Minister Nara Lokesh and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in California. The meeting discussed timelines, infrastructure requirements, and the scale of the upcoming investment.
Project Scale And Timelines
The proposed project involves an estimated investment of $15 billion in phases. The facility is expected to be one of Google’s largest data and AI hubs in Asia, with gigawatt-scale capacity. Officials said the centre will support AI workloads, cloud services, and global connectivity through major subsea and terrestrial fibre networks.
Government Push For Faster Execution
During the discussion, Lokesh requested Google to accelerate construction schedules and align the project with Andhra Pradesh’s broader technology vision. The government has already allocated land and is working on power, water, and port-connectivity support to ensure the project progresses without delays.
Lokesh also urged Google to explore additional opportunities in the state, including server manufacturing and participation in a proposed Drone City initiative, which aims to build a cluster for drone assembly, testing, and export.
Economic Impact For Andhra Pradesh
The AI hub is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, drive demand for local suppliers, and position Visakhapatnam as a strategic digital infrastructure location. State officials believe the investment will boost the region’s technology ecosystem and attract more global companies to Andhra Pradesh.
