Google Deepening its Bet on India’s AI Future

India is at a critical inflection point in its artificial intelligence journey, and Google’s newly announced $15 billion investment will focus on building core AI infrastructure including data centres, undersea cables and clean energy, as per Google India Vice President and Country Manager Preeti Lobana.

Google is deepening its bet on India’s artificial intelligence future, announcing a fresh $15 billion investment aimed at building the digital, energy and connectivity backbone needed to deploy AI at scale across the country.

Speaking about the investment, Lobana underscored that this was not a sudden pivot but the continuation of a relationship that has been building for over two decades. “We have been standing with India for over 20 years. Our investments have been consistent over time,” she said, pointing to Google’s earlier $10 billion India Development Fund as evidence of that long-term commitment.

According to Lobana, the timing of the new investment is intentional. India, she said, has reached a moment where artificial intelligence can move beyond pilots and proofs of concept to real-world deployment across businesses, government services and everyday consumer applications. “We are at an inflection point as a country,” she said, arguing that AI now has the potential to address not just enterprise productivity, but also deeper systemic challenges.

At the heart of Google’s plan is infrastructure. A significant portion of the investment will go into building a gigawatt-scale data centre, which Lobana described as the foundation of an AI-driven economy. “Compute is critical. The train can’t run unless the rails are really well set and function smoothly,” she said, highlighting the massive computing power required to train and operate large AI models.

Connectivity is another major focus area. Google is investing in undersea cables to improve network capacity and reduce latency, a move Lobana said is essential as AI systems increasingly rely on fast, reliable data flows across geographies. As AI use cases expand—from healthcare and education to finance and commerce—the underlying digital plumbing becomes just as important as the software itself.

Energy security and sustainability form the third pillar of Google’s India AI strategy. Lobana said the company plans not only to power its own operations with clean energy, but also to add capacity back to the Indian grid. Google has partnered with local players to invest in solar and wind energy projects across states including Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat. Clean energy, she said, is central to Google’s long-term operating philosophy.

Importantly, Lobana stressed that the $15 billion figure should not be viewed as a one-off announcement. “This is the biggest ever, and we are standing with India. It’s an unconditional support,” she said, framing the investment as part of a deeper, ongoing partnership. She added that Google remains bullish on Indian founders and startups building AI solutions not just for the domestic market, but for the world.

The opportunity, she said, is enormous. Lobana pegged India’s AI market potential at $126 billion by 2030, reflecting both the scale of the economy and the breadth of problems AI could help solve. At the same time, she acknowledged that challenges remain—particularly around trust and safety. For AI adoption to accelerate, she said, systems must be built responsibly and earn the confidence of users, enterprises and policymakers alike.

“We are in this partnership for the long haul,” Lobana said. With its latest investment, Google is signalling that it wants to help lay the foundations for India’s role in the global AI economy over the next decade—starting with the infrastructure that will make that future possible.Top of Form