Bharti Airtel and Google have just announced a landmark deal for the Indian market. The companies are gearing to fuel the AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure in India. Airtel has millions of customers under its portfolio, and several thousand enterprise users. Google, a US tech major, holds plenty of expertise in building digital infrastructure and also has a wide reach throughout India and globally. Google and Airtel have now announced that they will set up India's first AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This is a major move from the companies, and it will proliferate the use of AI in the country.
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Google will be able to offer its full-stack AI services more conveniently following this deal. Further, businesses in the country would be able to adopt AI faster due to this landmark deal. This is not a small project, naturally.
This AI Hub from Google and Airtel will be set up at an approximate cost of $15 billion (USD) over five years (2026-2030). This will also comprise of gigawatt-scale data center operations. The data center will be supported by a robust subsea network and clean energy. The AI Hub will majorly be owned by Google, but will be brought to life by working closely with Airtel and AdaniConneX.
Airtel and Google will jointly work to establish the new data center in Visakhapatnam along with a state-of-the-art Cable Landing Station (CLS) to host Google's new international subsea cables that will join the extensive global terrestrial and subsea infrastructure. Airtel will also work to create a robust intra-city as well as inter-city fibre network as a part of this project.
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Gopal Vittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited, said, "This partnership with Google is a defining moment in India’s digital future. By combining world-class AI infrastructure with our nation’s extraordinary talent and also expanding global connectivity, we are laying the foundation for India to become a leader in the AI-driven era. With Visakhapatnam becoming a new hub on the world’s AI map, we are ensuring that India has the opportunity to set the pace for innovation, digital inclusion and economic growth—not just for our people, but for the world."
"Meeting the demands of India’s AI Mission requires cutting-edge infrastructure, computational power and ubiquitous connectivity. Working with Airtel, we will deliver next-generation AI services and create the essential digital backbone required to power inclusive growth across India," said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud.
