‘India’s single largest FDI after Independence’: Nara Lokesh on Google’s $15 bn AI hub in Vizag

On April 28, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, along with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, laid the foundation for Google’s AI data centre hub in Visakhapatnam. The project brings Google’s largest $15 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) to India, which will be utilised over 5 years to build the data centre.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony, state IT minister Nara Lokesh told Business Today, “We are rewriting history.” He further added that “This is India's single largest FDI investment since independence. So that is a testimony to which Andhra Pradesh can get things done.” With the project, Lokesh highlighted the leadership's efforts while speaking about Naidu.

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Even in the keynote address, Vaishnaw drew parallels to Naidu’s efforts in building the IT corridor in Hyderabad, and now transforming the future of Vizag with an AI data centre hub. Vaishnaw said, “I think Visakhapatnam will be reborn as AI-Patnam. Like Cyberabad, it will become AI-Patnam.”

Google’s AI data centre hub in Vizag

The Google AI data centre project has officially begun and spans 600 acres across three locations: Rambilli, Adavivaram, and Tarluvada. The project will initially have a capacity of 1 gigawatt (GW) and is planned to expand to 5 GW capacity.

“We are trying to build this entire vibrant ecosystem in a very proactive manner. And I'm sure that we will be the IT giant in the future,” Lokesh told Business Today.

Must read: “Visakhapatnam will be born as AI-Patnam”: Ashwini Vaishnaw as Google lays data centre foundation

The data centre will help build an international subsea cable landing station, improving global internet connectivity and data transfer speeds. Vaishnaw highlighted that the cables will connect India to Australia and the U.S. West Coast, India to the Middle East, Europe, and the US, and the African coast to the US.

Alongside Google and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, AdaniConnex and Airtel will also be playing a key role in building the AI hub.  Adani is said to provide data‑centre infrastructure backing and take care of renewable energy. Whereas, Airtel will operate the fibre‑optic network and international subsea cable landing station (CLS).