Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., has announced plans to invest $15 billion (£11.29 billion) to build a large-scale data hub in India’s southern state of Andhra Pradesh, marking one of its biggest international infrastructure projects outside the United States.
The facility will be established in the port city of Visakhapatnam and will become part of Google’s expanding global network of data centres spanning 12 countries. The company said the investment will be rolled out over the next five years.
“This will be the largest data hub we are investing in anywhere in the world, outside of the United States,” said Thomas Kurian, Chief Executive Officer of Google Cloud, at an event in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The announcement comes amid a renewed push from Washington for American companies to prioritise domestic expansion. However, India’s rapidly growing digital market, affordable data costs, and strong demand for cloud infrastructure have positioned the country as an attractive location for such investments.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the new facility “will bring our industry-leading technology to enterprises and users in India, accelerating digital innovation and driving growth across the country.”
The Andhra Pradesh government confirmed that a formal agreement to finalise the project would be signed on Tuesday. “It is a massive leap for our state’s digital future, innovation, and global standing,” said Nara Lokesh, the state’s technology minister.
According to officials, the new hub will integrate advanced cloud infrastructure with renewable energy systems and an expanded fibre-optic network, supporting the state’s broader goal of developing 6 gigawatts (GW) of data centre capacity by 2029.
Data centres serve as the backbone of modern digital infrastructure. They house computing and networking equipment such as servers, storage systems, and routers that process, store, and distribute vast volumes of information used by businesses and consumers alike.
The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced several incentives, including subsidised land and electricity, to attract international technology investors.
India’s data centre industry has seen rapid expansion in recent years. According to global professional services firm JLL, the sector surpassed 1GW of capacity in 2024, nearly tripling its 2019 level. The report highlighted strong investment momentum driven by increasing internet penetration, digital transformation initiatives, and favourable government policies.
Industry experts say Alphabet’s investment will further strengthen India’s position as a global technology hub while supporting local job creation, renewable energy adoption, and digital connectivity across the region.
