Ashwini Vaishnaw Hails Google’s $15 Billion AI Investment in Visakhapatnam as a Game-Changer for India’s Startups and Youth

Google’s plan to invest $15 billion (around Rs 1.25 lakh crore) in a gigawatt-scale Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, has drawn strong praise from the government, with Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, calling it a “transformational moment” for India’s digital and innovation ecosystem.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Vaishnaw said the investment aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global digital leader. “Google’s AI hub will significantly strengthen India’s AI infrastructure. It will empower startups, researchers, and our youth with access to advanced digital tools and opportunities,” he said.

The minister added that AI services are fast emerging as a new pillar of the digital economy. “We must prepare and upskill our youth to seize these opportunities. This data centre will not just enhance AI capacity but also support our AI Mission by creating the right environment for innovation and employment,” Vaishnaw noted.

Also Read: Google announces $15 billion investment in AI data hub in Andhra Pradesh | Republic World

At Google’s ‘Bharat AI Shakti’ event in New Delhi, Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said the Visakhapatnam facility would be the company’s largest AI hub outside the United States. “This gigawatt-scale centre will store and process data locally while driving AI-based solutions for India, Asia, and beyond,” Kurian said, adding that the project underscores Google’s long-term commitment to India’s digital growth and sustainability goals.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a post on X, hailed the development as a milestone. “The visionary policies of PM Modi have positioned India as a digital fountainhead. With AI and quantum technologies, India is ready to lead,” she wrote, also crediting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and state IT Minister Nara Lokesh for the initiative.

The Visakhapatnam AI City project, a partnership between Google and the Andhra Pradesh government, promises clean energy integration and could generate up to 1.8 lakh jobs, making it a cornerstone of India’s AI-driven future.