Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday that India is set to become a 'trusted value chain and supply chain partner' for the world in electronics manufacturing. He made the remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony of a $15 billion Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam.
Massive AI Data Centre Project
The project is being developed in partnership with Google Cloud, Adani ConneX and Airtel Nxtra. It will include a 1 GW hyperscale AI data centre. The Andhra Pradesh government has allocated around 600 acres across Turluvada, Rambilli and Adavivaram for the initiative.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and industry leaders were present at the event. Vaishnaw said India's progress in electronics manufacturing is driven by strong policy support and a push for self-reliance in critical technologies.
India's Rise in Electronics and Semiconductors
Vaishnaw stated that India has already become a leader in IT services and is now rapidly advancing in electronics manufacturing. He added that the country is on track to become a global hub in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and space technologies.
The minister highlighted that mobile phones are now among India's top export items. Nearly 50% of domestic electronic demand is met through local production. Under the government's semiconductor mission, commercial production has already begun, indicating a shift towards deeper manufacturing capabilities.
Call for Global Tech Firms to Manufacture in India
Vaishnaw urged global technology companies, including Google, to manufacture servers, GPUs and semiconductor components within India. He positioned the country as a trusted partner in global supply chains.
Visakhapatnam to Become 'AI Patnam'
On the Visakhapatnam project, Vaishnaw said the city is set to evolve into 'AI Patnam', emerging as a major hub in India's AI and data ecosystem. The hyperscale data centre will drive innovation across sectors including education, healthcare, logistics, aerospace and agriculture.
He also noted Google's subsea cable investments from Visakhapatnam, linking India to global digital routes across Australia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the United States. This strengthens the country's digital connectivity backbone.
Industry Leaders' Perspectives
Google Cloud global infrastructure vice president Bikash Koley said the AI Hub would serve as a key foundation for India's digital transformation and its ambition of becoming a developed economy by 2047.
Adani Group chairman Jeet Adani said the 1 GW hyperscale facility marks a significant milestone in India's AI journey and will position Visakhapatnam as a new digital gateway for the country.
