VIJAYAWADA: HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh announced that global tech giant Google will invest $15 billion (Rs 1.25 lakh crore) in setting up India’s largest data center in Visakhapatnam, calling it the single biggest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country’s history.
He said the project represents not just a victory for the state, but a proud moment for the entire country.
Addressing a press conference at his Undavalli residence on Wednesday, Lokesh said the milestone was possible only because of the “visionary leadership” of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. “Whether it’s creating history or rewriting it, it’s possible only because of Chandrababu Naidu. Between 2014 and 2019, he brought India’s largest automotive FDI with Kia Motors. Now, Google’s investment will change the face of Visakhapatnam just as Microsoft changed Hyderabad,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh revealed that Google had evaluated multiple countries and states before finalizing Andhra Pradesh, attracted by its ease of doing business, transparent policies, and proactive governance. “This investment will generate 1.88 lakh direct and indirect jobs and have an economic impact of Rs 48,000 crore on the state within five years,” he said.
He explained that several central laws were amended after discussions between Chief Minister Naidu, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Nirmala Sitharaman, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making it possible for the investment to take shape. Senior officials like IT Secretary Bhaskar and Karthikeya Mishra were instrumental in the groundwork, he added.
Lokesh reiterated the government’s commitment to “one state, one capital, and decentralized development.” He said the administration is pursuing a cluster-based approach to build regional ecosystems, from mobility and renewable energy projects in Anantapur and Kurnool to electronics manufacturing hubs in Chittoor and Kadapa, and industrial expansion in Sri City and Nellore.
“With the Chief Minister’s guidance, we have attracted over Rs 12,000 crore in tourism investments, given land for India’s SpaceX-linked startup Scry Route in Amaravati, and advanced renewable projects across the state,” he said.
“Fifty percent of India’s air conditioners are now made in AP, and that will rise to 80% as Daikin and Bluestar expand.”
Lokesh also announced that the state is developing a Quantum Valley in Amaravati, an ecosystem for quantum computing industries and defence manufacturing clusters to promote high-tech growth.
“North Andhra will soon become the state’s growth engine,” Lokesh declared, listing ArcelorMittal’s steel plant, Google, TCS, Cognizant, Accenture, and several pharma and medical device companies among major upcoming investors. The government aims to make Andhra Pradesh a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047, he said, with Greater Visakhapatnam envisioned as a $1 trillion economic corridor. He noted that TCS and Cognizant were allotted land at a token rate of Rs 1 per acre to promote IT growth, creating 25,000 jobs and catalyzing Rs 15,000 crore in economic activity.
“When critics mocked Cyberabad, Chandrababu Naidu built it. Today, one lakh people work there. Similarly, Google’s data center will revolutionize Visakhapatnam,” Lokesh said.
AI collaboration
The Minister announced that the government has directed the Higher Education Department to collaborate with Google, TCS, and Cognizant to strengthen AI and digital skills training for youth. The Ratan Tata Innovation Hub, headquartered in Amaravati, is leading initiatives in research, startup incubation, and advanced training.
Lokesh said the state’s new PPP model in medical education is designed to benefit poor students. “Fifty percent of seats in PPP medical colleges will be given free to students from economically weaker sections,” he clarified, adding that the policy aims to improve quality, not privatize public assets.
Highlighting the strong Centre-State coordination, Lokesh said, “The state is now an investment-attracting state within just 17 months. The credit goes to the double-engine government, with Prime Minister Modi in Delhi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati.”
