'Visakhapatnam Will Lead India’s AI Revolution': Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu

New Delhi: Google announced the establishment of a major Artificial Intelligence hub in Visakhapatnam with an investment of 15 billion US dollars. The project will integrate AI infrastructure, a data centre, large-scale energy sources and a fiber optic network, marking a major step in Andhra Pradesh’s digital transformation.

The announcement was made at the Bharat AI Shakti event hosted by Google in New Delhi, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Minister for IT Nara Lokesh, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said it was a proud and auspicious moment for Andhra Pradesh as Visakhapatnam becomes India’s first AI hub. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his proactive support and acknowledged the efforts of Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Ashwini Vaishnaw. He said real-time and historical data from the new AI infrastructure will enable faster decision-making and strengthen governance.

The Chief Minister added that Prime Minister Modi Is now preparing for a Global AI Conference to be held in India in February 2026, reflecting the nation’s leadership in technology adoption. He said the state government will give full support to the project which will bring transformative changes across all sectors. He recalled his earlier initiative of “One IT professional for one family” and said it is now time to move towards “One family, one entrepreneur” by working smart with advanced technology.

Minister for IT Nara Lokesh said the Google data centre in Visakhapatnam became a reality due to the vision and support of Prime Minister Modi. He noted that Andhra Pradesh has already been using real-time governance systems and Google’s presence will further enhance the efficiency of public services. He said the development marks a historic milestone for Andhra Pradesh and India, bringing economic empowerment and paving the way for the next wave of digital innovation.

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian said the 15-billion-dollar investment represents Google’s largest in India so far and aligns with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He said Visakhapatnam will also emerge as a global connectivity hub with the laying of undersea cables, adding that the project will open vast economic and technological opportunities for both India and the United States.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the initiative was made possible by the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Naidu, supported by progressive policies and strong coordination between the Centre and the State.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said global partnerships in digital infrastructure are crucial for India’s long-term growth. He emphasized the need for skill development among IT professionals to support the new AI hub and proposed developing the Andaman Islands as a key node for global internet data transfer.