Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development Nara Lokesh has clarified that Google’s proposed $15 billion AI data centre project in Visakhapatnam does not require a separate environmental clearance from the Centre. Speaking to the media on September 24, Lokesh said environmental clearance for the project is a state subject and that the State government has followed the required process. 

Lokesh said construction work on the project is already underway and is expected to be completed on schedule. He also said the State government is working to address concerns related to water and energy consumption and that water for data-centre projects would come from sustainable sources rather than affecting farming or the city’s supply. 

 

Google announced an investment of approximately $15 billion over five years from 2026 to 2030 for its first AI hub in India, located in Visakhapatnam. The project includes a gigawatt-scale data-centre campus, expanded fibre connectivity, subsea cable infrastructure and clean-energy initiatives. Google officially broke ground on the AI Hub at Tarluvada in April 2026.