This will be Google’s first direct data center project in India and one of the largest infrastructure projects in Asia. The center will be built with a capacity of one gigawatt (GW). Visakhapatnam’s strategic coastal location makes it ideal for constructing international undersea cable landing stations, which will provide high-speed connectivity to the data center

Global tech giant Google is set to establish Asia’s largest data center in Visakhapatnam, officially confirmed with the approval of the central government. Google will invest a massive $ six billion (approximately ₹50,000 crore) in this project. The official announcement was made by Invest India, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through its official Twitter account.

Although the state government had been indicating for some time that a Google data center would be set up, the central government’s announcement provides absolute clarity.

According to Invest India’s tweet, this data center will be the largest in Asia. To ensure uninterrupted connectivity, the company also revealed that three huge undersea cables will be laid.

Once completed, Visakhapatnam will emerge as one of the key data hubs in India. While Mumbai currently serves as the main center for data facilities, experts believe that the upcoming Visakhapatnam facility will operate at double the capacity of Mumbai’s centers. This huge investment will strongly support IT Minister Nara Lokesh’s vision to transform Visakhapatnam into a major IT hub. Construction of this prestigious project will begin soon, and with the Centre’s approval, the project is expected to move ahead swiftly.

This will be Google’s first direct data center project in India and one of the largest infrastructure projects in Asia. The center will be built with a capacity of one gigawatt (GW). Visakhapatnam’s strategic coastal location makes it ideal for constructing international undersea cable landing stations, which will provide high-speed connectivity to the data center.

The government has set a target of achieving 6 GW of data center capacity over the next five years. Out of this, about 1.6 GW of investments have already been firmed up in the near future. This new facility will become Google’s largest data center outside the United States, turning the city into a crucial hub in Google’s data distribution infrastructure.

The $6 billion investment and one GW capacity powered by renewable energy will push Andhra Pradesh into the digital future, overcoming challenges and obstacles. The proposed ‘Cable India’ will connect the Visakhapatnam’s center to the global internet traffic.

The project will generate large-scale employment opportunities across construction, operations, IT, engineering, and skill development sectors.

With the upcoming Bhogapuram international airport close by, Visakhapatnam will evolve into a geographically advantageous IT and digital hub.

As part of the “Swarna Andhra 2047” goals, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Lokesh are striving to transform the industrial face of the state. Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a paradise for investors, instilling strong confidence in industrial development. With the announcement of a faster ‘Speed of Doing Business’, investments are flowing into the state.

Already, companies like Lulu, Oberoi, Brookfield, Suzlon, Google and Cognizant have come forward, while other IT giants are also readying to enter the State. TCS is also set to launch its operations in Visakhapatnam, further strengthening the city as an IT hub. Under Chandrababu Naidu’s visionary leadership, global companies like ArcelorMittal and Google are lining up to invest.

With the Bhogapuram international airport, the entire face of Uttarandhra is poised for transformation. Visakhapatnam has the ecosystem required for industrial growth in a beautiful coastal city. To achieve the Vision 2047 target, the government aims at an annual growth rate of 15 per cent, attracting continuous investments.

By October, the Mittal steel plant works will also commence. Rapid progress is being made in the renewable energy sector. India’s largest hybrid renewable energy project has already been launched by ReNew Power in Rayalaseema.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat and Chandrababu Naidu’s Vision 2047, Andhra Pradesh has set a target of becoming a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) 2025 rankings, Andhra Pradesh has emerged as one of the most business-friendly states, scoring 6.9 and ranking fourth, a spot it shares with Delhi and Karnataka, while Telangana stood seventh with a score of 6.8. Tamil Nadu tops with 7.4, followed by Gujarat (7.3) and Maharashtra (7.1).

The Ease of Doing Business index clearly highlights Andhra Pradesh as the top destination for business and investment. Only with visionary policies do investments become a reality. Despite challenges, Andhra Pradesh is set for a great industrial leap forward with strong planning.

Visakhapatnam is destined to grow in IT, engineering, and skill development sectors, paving the way for another Cyberabad in Uttarandhra.

(The writer represents Vizianagaram in the Lok Sabha)