Our Bureau
New Delhi
Google India recently declared India as a “deeply critical” growth market for the tech giant, despite uncertainties from US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. The company emphasized Google’s unwavering dedication to India, calling it a “major growth area” and highlighting ongoing massive investments as proof of strategic faith. The company dismissed potential disruptions from trade tensions, stating, “Stuff will happen around. We are deeply committed.”
Google’s India push includes a $15 billion gigawatt-scale data centre in Visakhapatnam, the largest such investment outside the US, incorporating undersea cables and renewable energy from solar and wind sources. The company recently opened its biggest office ever in Bengaluru’s Ananta and launched Asia’s first Google Safety Engineering Center in Hyderabad, focusing on privacy and safety. The firm described the Vizag project as “a very big statement” on Google’s belief in India’s potential.
Aligning with PM Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision and the India AI Mission, Google aims to embed AI in healthcare and agriculture, making models culturally aware for Indic languages. The firm cited examples like “gond ke laddoo” for maternal care, noting overseas-trained AIs lack such nuances, and prioritized open-source models like Gemma for Global South scalability. The company praised government pillars on compute, access, privacy, and security, positioning Google as an ecosystem partner.
Google India expressed optimism about India’s vibrant startup scene, taking a long-term view amid fluctuating investment cycles, backed by Google’s dollars and expertise in deep tech talent. These moves underscore India’s role in Google’s global strategy, undeterred by external pressures.
