Google's $10 Billion Data Hub: A Strategic Leap in India

Google is investing $10 billion to establish a major data centre and AI hub in Andhra Pradesh, India. This marks its largest investment in the country as part of a strategic move to expand AI infrastructure amidst growing competition among tech giants for data-driven advancements.

Alphabet Inc.'s Google plans to inject $10 billion into constructing a significant data centre and artificial intelligence hub in Andhra Pradesh, according to officials from the southern Indian state. This move represents Google's largest investment in the South Asian region to date.

The project will see the establishment of a 1-gigawatt data centre campus in Visakhapatnam, integrating advanced AI infrastructure, expansive energy resources, and an enhanced fibre-optic network. The state government is expected to finalize the agreement formally on Tuesday.

This development comes amid fierce competition among major technology firms, who are heavily investing in new data centre infrastructure to accommodate the surging demand for AI-driven services. Andhra Pradesh's IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, highlighted the strategic importance of this initiative, likening data to the new oil in today's digital economy.

(With inputs from agencies.)