Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) [India], October 16 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed Google's $15 billion investment in Andhra Pradesh as a significant milestone for the state's digital future.
The tech giant plans to establish India's first artificial intelligence hub in Visakhapatnam, catalysing next-generation digital infrastructure and innovation.
While adressing a public gathering in Kurnool, PM Modi said that Google's $15 bn investment will accelerate Andhra Pradesh's digital transformation and establish Visakhapatnam as a major AI and connectivity hub.
"This project (Google AI hub) will establish Visakhapatnam as an AI and connectivity hub. It will serve not only India but the entire world. I extend special congratulations to the people of Andhra Pradesh for this and highly commend Chandrababu Naidu for his vision," said PM Modi.
The AI hub will position Andhra Pradesh on the global technology map, attracting investments, talent, and innovation from around the world. The hub will feature a state-of-the-art data centre campus with a capacity of 1 gigawatt, making it one of the largest in the country.
PM Modi further highlighted that Google's CEO has informed him that it will be the largest investment outside the US during his recent conversation with Sundar Pichai.
"Just two days ago, Google announced a major investment in Andhra Pradesh. Google is going to build India's first artificial intelligence hub here in our Andhra Pradesh. Yesterday, when I was talking to the CEO of Google, he told me that we have investments in many countries around the world outside the US. But now we are going to make the largest investment in Andhra Pradesh," he said.
The project will be powered entirely by renewable energy, with co-investments planned in new transmission lines, clean energy generation, and advanced energy storage systems. A new subsea cable system will be built to connect Visakhapatnam to Google's global network, enabling fast and reliable data transfer.
"This new AI Hub includes powerful AI infrastructure, data center capacity, large-scale energy sources, and expanded fiber-optic network. A new international subsea gateway will be built. This will include several international subsea cables, which will reach Visakhapatnam on India's eastern coast," added PM Modi.
The AI hub is expected to generate tens of thousands of direct jobs and create numerous indirect employment opportunities. The investment is expected to drive economic growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the state, with potential spillover effects into sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and logistics.
The AI hub will position Andhra Pradesh on the global technology map, attracting investments, talent, and innovation from around the world.
Earlier, PM Modi inaugurated, laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation developmental projects worth Rs 13,430 crore. The developmental projects span across key sectors including industry, power transmission, roads, railways, defence manufacturing, and petroleum and natural gas.
PM Modi expressed confidence in India's rapid pace of development, and said that with such a pace, the project of Viksit Bharat 2047 will definitely bear fruit when India completes a century of Independence, while addressing a public rally in Kurnool.
Crediting the rapid development in the State to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, PM Modi highlighted that the State finally has the "right vision" and the full support of the Central government.
The new projects reflect on the Centre's commitment to enhancing regional infrastructure, accelerating industrialisation, and driving inclusive socio-economic growth in the state, according to an official statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Transmission System Strengthening at Kurnool-III Pooling Station, at an investment of over Rs 2,880 crore. He also laid the foundation stones for the Orvakal Industrial Area and the Kopparthy Industrial Area in Kadapa, with a total investment of over Rs 4,920 crore.
To enhance road infrastructure, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the six-lane Greenfield Highway from Sabbavaram to Sheelanagar over Rs 960 crore, aimed at easing congestion in Visakhapatnam and facilitating trade and employment.
In the railway sector, PM Modi dedicate to the nation several key railway projects worth over Rs 1,200 crore, including the laying of the foundation stone for the Kottavalasa-Vizianagaram Fourth Railway Line and the Rail Flyover between Pendurti and Simhachalam North.