Vaishnaw: Andaman & Nicobar Islands Poised to Become Next Global Internet Data Hub

New Delhi, October 18: Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the potential to emerge as the next major global internet data hub, with the Central government ready to extend full support to realise the vision.

Speaking at ‘Bharat AI Shakti’, an event organised by Google ahead of the upcoming India AI Summit, Vaishnaw highlighted the islands’ strategic location in the Indian Ocean and their suitability for hosting advanced international data connectivity infrastructure.

“Singapore is already overburdened, handling a huge share of global data traffic. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are strategically located—why can’t we make them the next global hub for internet data transfer? From the Government of India’s perspective, we will provide full support for this initiative,” Vaishnaw said.

The minister noted that the islands’ proximity to Southeast Asia, Australia, and other emerging digital economies makes them an ideal alternative to Singapore for data routing and subsea cable connectivity. Such a move, he said, would open opportunities for global technology giants like Google to establish Andaman as a key digital node in the global internet ecosystem.

Strengthening Regional Connectivity

Vaishnaw also outlined plans to bolster regional digital infrastructure, proposing a Vizag–Sittwe (Myanmar) subsea cable link to enhance connectivity between India and Southeast Asia. The extension of this network via Myanmar to Mizoram, he said, would further integrate India’s northeastern region into the global digital map.

“The railway line up to Sairang in Mizoram is already complete, and work is underway to extend it to the Myanmar border,” he said, adding that these projects are being pursued under the Prime Minister’s directives to deepen regional connectivity.

India’s AI Push and Google’s Investment

Vaishnaw underlined that India’s digital economy is entering a transformative phase, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at its core. He called on Google to leverage its technological expertise to create employment and skill development opportunities across the country.

Welcoming Google’s introduction of Tensor Processing Units (TPUs)—a move seen as complementing Nvidia’s GPU dominance—he said this would expand computing capacity and strengthen India’s AI infrastructure under the India AI Mission.

The minister emphasised that public-private partnerships would be key to advancing the mission’s goals, particularly in upskilling and reskilling the technology workforce to meet evolving industry demands.

Google Announces AI Hub in Visakhapatnam

At the same event, Google announced plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, marking its largest investment in India to date. The tech giant will deploy its full AI stack at the hub, aimed at accelerating AI-driven transformation across multiple sectors.

The $15 billion investment, spread over 2026–2030, aligns with the Government of India’s “Viksit Bharat” Vision, which seeks to harness technology and AI as catalysts for economic growth and innovation. The Visakhapatnam hub will serve as a centre for AI research, development, and deployment, supporting key industries such as healthcare, education, and digital infrastructure.

Expanding India’s Digital Frontier

Industry experts view these developments as a turning point in India’s digital strategy, marking a shift from a mainland-centric approach to one that integrates island and coastal regions into the country’s broader connectivity and data ecosystem.

With Andaman positioned as a potential global data hub and Visakhapatnam emerging as an AI nerve centre, India appears set to expand its digital footprint into new geographies, reinforcing its ambition to become a leader in the global technology landscape.