World’s Leading Telecom Firm Announces Strategic Partnership in Google’s $15 Billion India AI Hub
DSIJ Intelligence / 28 Apr 2026 / Categories: Mindshare, Trending
Google begins construction of a 1 GW AI hub in Visakhapatnam as part of its USD 15 billion India investment plan with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel.
The Indian equity markets were trading on a weak note on Tuesday, with the Nifty 50 index down by 61.05 points or 0.25 per cent at 24,031.65 during the session. Despite subdued benchmark movement, stock-specific buying was visible in select Large-Cap technology and telecom counters. Amid this, Bharti Airtel's share price jumped 0.82 per cent to Rs 1,835.10 after the company announced its strategic participation in Google’s landmark India AI Hub project in Visakhapatnam.
Bharti Airtel informed the stock exchanges that Google has officially broken ground on its India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which marks the beginning of Construction of Google’s largest digital infrastructure investment in India to date.
The project is being developed in strategic partnership with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel and is expected to establish a gigawatt-scale AI ecosystem in the country. Nxtra by Airtel will lead the development of advanced data centre infrastructure, pan-India ultra-low latency fibre connectivity and next-generation cable landing station support for the AI hub.
Google to Invest USD 15 Billion in India AI Ecosystem
As part of the broader initiative, Google announced a USUSD 15 billion investment over the period of 2026 to 2030 to create a comprehensive AI and cloud ecosystem in India. The project will include India’s first gigawatt-scale AI hub comprising three large data centre campuses designed to scale artificial intelligence workloads, digital services and enterprise cloud infrastructure.
The AI hub will also include expanded fibre optic network infrastructure and a long-term clean energy strategy aimed at supporting India’s digital and non-fossil fuel capacity goals.
Airtel’s Nxtra to Build Digital Backbone for AI Infrastructure
Bharti Airtel’s data centre arm Nxtra will play a central role in the project by providing full stack data centre solutions, green power integration, hyperscale infrastructure deployment and nationwide low latency digital connectivity.
The company stated that the strategic partnership is expected to position Visakhapatnam as a key global AI infrastructure destination and strengthen India’s digital innovation corridor.
Management Commentary
Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel, stated that through the strategic partnership with Google and Adani to build this landmark AI hub, Airtel will help advance India’s digital ambitions. He added that with Visakhapatnam emerging as a new hub on the global AI map, the company will support large-scale world-class AI infrastructure through its best-in-class data centres, green power usage, pan-India ultra-low latency fibre network and next-generation cable landing station.
Thomas Kurian, Chief Executive Officer, Google Cloud, said that the groundbreaking marks an important step in building India’s AI-native future and lays the foundation for broader economic opportunities across the country through deeper digital infrastructure.
Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Group, stated that India’s AI growth will be defined by infrastructure and that the nearly 1 GW AI ecosystem being built in Visakhapatnam represents a major development in the country’s next phase of technology-led expansion.
About Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Ltd is one of India’s leading telecommunications and digital services providers with operations across mobile services, broadband, enterprise solutions, digital TV, cloud, cybersecurity and data centre infrastructure. The company has a strong presence in India, Africa and South Asia and continues to expand its digital ecosystem through Airtel Business and Nxtra data centre platforms.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.