New Delhi: Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said India is set to emerge as a trusted global value and supply chain partner in electronics manufacturing, backed by policy support and leadership.
He was addressing the gathering after the ground-breaking ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam.
The event was held in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, along with Union and State ministers and industry leaders.
The project, involving an estimated investment of USD 15 billion, is being developed in partnership with Adani ConneX and Airtel Nxtra. It will feature a 1 GW hyperscale AI data centre in Visakhapatnam, according to an official statement.
The state government has allocated around 600 acres of land across Turluvada, Rambilli, and Adavivaram for the development.
Highlighting India’s progress, Vaishnaw noted that the country has already established itself as a leader in IT services and is rapidly expanding its footprint in electronics manufacturing. He stressed the importance of advancing in emerging sectors such as semiconductors, quantum technologies, space, and artificial intelligence, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He pointed out that mobile phones have become one of India’s top export items, with nearly half of domestic electronic demand now being met through local production. Under the Semiconductor Mission, commercial production has already commenced, further strengthening India’s position in the global electronics ecosystem.
The minister also urged global technology firms, including Google, to manufacture servers, GPUs, and semiconductor components within India, reinforcing the country’s role as a reliable production hub.
Describing the initiative as transformative, Vaishnaw said Visakhapatnam is poised to evolve into an “AI City”, driven by advanced infrastructure and global investments. He credited the vision of Chandrababu Naidu in building IT ecosystems and noted that the AI data centre would bring significant changes across sectors such as education, healthcare, aerospace, logistics, and agriculture.
He further acknowledged Google’s efforts in laying three subsea cables from Visakhapatnam, enhancing global digital connectivity through routes linking Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the US.
Industry leaders also highlighted the strategic importance of the project. Google Cloud Global Infrastructure Vice President Bikash Koley stated that the AI Hub would support India’s long-term development goals and strengthen its role in the global AI economy. Jeet Adani described the hyperscale data centre as a major milestone that would position Visakhapatnam as a key digital gateway for the country.
The ceremony was attended by senior government representatives, Members of Parliament, and officials from Google, Adani Group, Airtel Nxtra, and other organisations.
