Google $150B AI hub to new GCCs: Is Vizag becoming India’s new Silicon Valley?

Thanks to Google’s USD 15 billion investment to establish India’s first Artificial Intelligence Hub in Visakhapatnam.

The coastal city is also expected to welcome thousands of job aspirants as several companies gear up to set up their offices.

Currently, around 150 IT companies are operating in Madhurawada IT Hills and other parts of Visakhapatnam.

A recent video of Google CEO Sundar Pichai describing Vizag as a “beautiful coastal town that’s growing fast” has gone viral.

“We are now launching Google’s largest-ever investment outside the US — a $15 billion project with a 1 GW data center, 80% powered by clean energy,” he said in the video, giving new hope to Vizagites.

What are the companies?

1. Google will establish India’s first Artificial Intelligence Hub in Visakhapatnam. The $15 billion project, spread over five years, is one of Google’s largest initiatives in Asia and will deploy its full AI stack to accelerate AI-driven transformation across India.

2. Raiden Infotech Private Limited, a Google subsidiary, will set up a ₹87,520 crore data centre on 480 acres in Visakhapatnam. Fully equity-funded, it will be among three mega data centres planned at Tarluvada, Adivivaram, and Achyutapuram, transforming the city into an AI-powered smart hub.

3. Imaginative Techno Solutions will establish an IT unit in Kapuluppada with an investment of ₹140 crore on 4.05 acres, creating 2,600 jobs and new Global Capability Centers (GCCs).

4. Avanti Warehousing Services will invest ₹319 crore in Gurrampalem, Visakhapatnam district.

5. Shanveera Industries Limited will set up a ₹260-crore unit in Anakapalle, generating 800 jobs.

6. Accenture is set to establish a new campus in Visakhapatnam. The global IT giant has requested 10 acres from the state government and plans to create around 12,000 jobs in phases.

7. TCS has been allotted 22 acres in IT Hill-2 for campus expansion.

8. Cognizant Technology Solutions has been allotted 219 acres in Madhurawada for its new facility.

How will this investment convert into employment

According to state projections, these investments will contribute an average annual GSDP of ₹10,518 crore during 2028–2032 and support around 1.88 lakh jobs per year. Google Cloud–enabled productivity spillovers are expected to add ₹47,720 crore over five years.

Will this employment attract many NRIs?

With the US increasing the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 per person per year, Indian tech professionals face growing uncertainty abroad. The hike is expected to deter Big Tech companies from hiring foreign workers in the US.

Industry data shows Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Walmart were among the top H-1B visa sponsors. Experts suggest many roles will now move to India or be near-shored to Mexico or Colombia, with Canada also benefiting. This shift opens new opportunities for Indian youth to work remotely or on-site within India instead of waiting for US visa approvals.

Nara Lokesh as Andhra’s job creator :

In an interview, Minister for IT and Education Nara Lokesh said his focus is on making Andhra Pradesh a hub for job creation across sectors. “When we go to elections, if people recognise me as the chief job creator in Andhra Pradesh, my job is well done,” he said.

Highlighting agricultural innovation, he added, “When I learned that 90% of mushrooms globally are grown in China, we acted immediately. Within 12 hours, we prepared a three-page note and got the Chief Minister’s approval for the ‘Mushroom Mission’. We now aim to make Andhra Pradesh the mushroom hub of India.”

What kind of job opportunities will these investments bring?

From data centre management to IT and AI development, the upcoming projects will generate thousands of opportunities for young professionals.

For example, Google’s AI Hub will integrate advanced AI infrastructure, data capacity, renewable energy, and a fibre-optic backbone, positioning Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh as leaders in India’s AI transformation.

CII Summit – a platform for investments

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has invited global industry leaders to the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam on November 14–15, noting that the government has rolled out 24 industry-friendly policies to attract investors.

Meanwhile, Minister Nara Lokesh, during his Australia tour, held strategic meetings with top universities, business leaders, and innovation experts across Brisbane and the Gold Coast to strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s global partnerships in education, investment, and sports infrastructure development.