VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said Google, which began as a search engine, is set to emerge as a growth engine for the Indian economy with the establishment of its data centre in Visakhapatnam.
He described April 28, 2026 as a significant milestone in the country’s digital technology journey, marking the foundation of the $15 billion Google data centre project.
The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the large-scale Google Cloud India Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub at Tarluvada in Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Google Cloud Vice-President Bikash Koley, Bharti Enterprises Vice-Chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal, US Consul General in Hyderabad Laura Williams, and Adani Group representatives Karan Adani and Jeet Adani, among others.
The project, being executed in partnership with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel, forms part of Google’s proposed $15 billion (approximately Rs 1.35 lakh crore) investment in India between 2026 and 2030.
The AI hub will span 601.4 acre across three strategic locations, including Rambilli in Anakapalli, and Adavivaram and Tarluvada in Visakhapatnam district.
Of the total extent, 266.6 acres are located in Tarluvada, 174.8 acres in Rambilli, and 160 acres in Adavivaram. The project is expected to generate around 3,000 direct technical jobs upon completion.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu said the project is expected to be completed by September 2028 and would serve as a catalyst for economic growth in the State, similar to the role played by Cyberabad in the past.
North Andhra entering Cyberabad-like growth phase with digital infrastructure: Naidu
He added that Visakhapatnam is poised to emerge as a digital technology gateway once the facility becomes operational.
“While people across the world use Google to search for information, in this instance, Google has chosen Andhra Pradesh as its destination,” he remarked.
Comparing the development to the rise of Cyberabad, he maintained that North Andhra is entering a similar phase of transformation driven by large-scale digital infrastructure.
Calling for timely execution, he urged all stakeholders, including partner organisations, to complete the project by September 2028, assuring full cooperation from the State government. He also expressed confidence that Visakhapatnam will emerge as a global AI and data gateway supported by strong infrastructure, energy availability, and investment momentum.
He further noted that the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, would enhance efficiency of governance in the State.
In a video message, Google Cloud Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kurian described the development as a key milestone. “Today’s groundbreaking is a powerful realisation of our shared vision with the Indian government, and an inflection point for the country’s AI-native future. Together we are laying the foundation for Viksit Bharat and opening new doors for economic opportunity nationwide. The Google AI hub will serve as a catalyst for growth built on deep community partnerships,” he stated.
Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the transformative potential of the project for India’s digital ecosystem. He noted that the Cyber Towers initiative, developed under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu, had earlier emerged as a landmark in the IT sector, and observed that Visakhapatnam is now poised to evolve into an “AI City” with the establishment of the new data centre. “Visakhapatnam will soon be known as AI-patnam,” he remarked.
The Union Minister also acknowledged Google’s role in strengthening digital connectivity through undersea cable infrastructure originating from Visakhapatnam, which will link India to regions including Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Adani Group Director Jeet Adani highlighted the role of infrastructure in shaping India’s AI growth, with Visakhapatnam emerging as a key hub beyond cities like Mumbai and Chennai.
He noted that the project would improve connectivity within India and internationally, positioning the city as a new digital gateway, and added that digital infrastructure development has gained pace under Chandrababu Naidu. “This is a major step in India’s AI journey. Visakhapatnam will play a key role in the computing sector, and connectivity will improve significantly. Our vision is to expand AI infrastructure and make these services accessible to industries and a wider section of people,” he added.
He acknowledged partnerships with Google and other stakeholders, and reiterated Adani Group’s commitment of $100 billion towards building integrated infrastructure spanning energy, transmission, and data centres to support AI-led growth. He noted that India’s current data centre capacity stands at about 1.3 GW, while nearly 1 GW is being planned at a single location in Visakhapatnam, reflecting the scale of transformation underway.
Addressing the gathering after the ceremony, IT Minister Nara Lokesh described the project as a milestone for the State’s investment landscape. “With Google, Visakhapatnam has secured one of the largest foreign direct investments in the country,” he said, acknowledging the gesture of farmers who contributed land and extended his appreciation to the youth.
“Starting April 28, 2026, the Google data centre in Visakhapatnam will begin making history. Known as Steel City, Visakhapatnam is now set to become a Data City,” he remarked, adding that the project has placed the city firmly on the global IT map. Highlighting the State’s development trajectory, he referred to Chandrababu Naidu’s track record in building Hyderabad’s technology ecosystem.
“We have seen how Cyberabad was transformed into a world-class hub. A similar growth path is now unfolding in Visakhapatnam,” he observed.
Lokesh pointed to a renewed investment climate in the State. “With the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a strong alignment between the Centre and the State, Andhra Pradesh is attracting a significant share of national investments. The focus is on ‘speed of doing business’ and decentralised development across regions,” he said.
He reiterated the government’s broader vision. “We are promoting cluster-based development across North Andhra, Coastal Andhra, and Rayalaseema, and working towards building Visakhapatnam as the State’s first trillion-dollar economic zone,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, Lokesh remarked that it suffers from “CCD” (Chronic Credit Deficiency) and attempts to claim credit for initiatives it did not execute. “Ours is Google, yours is an axe - both are not the same,” quipped Lokesh.
He noted that the project is expected to generate around 25,000 jobs during the construction phase, and about 2 lakh employment opportunities, both direct and indirect.
“These will span high-skilled sectors such as AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and electrical and mechanical systems,” he added.
The project also includes expansion of fibre-optic networks and a long-term clean energy strategy, aligned with India’s target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030. The facility is expected to deliver high-capacity, low-latency computing infrastructure for enterprises, startups, and research institutions.
