Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, has pitched Visakhapatnam as a future hub for artificial intelligence, informally branding it “AI Patnam” as India positions itself as a trusted global partner in electronics and AI infrastructure.
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Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub, Vaishnaw drew a parallel with Hyderabad’s transformation into “Cyberabad,” suggesting a similar trajectory for the coastal city. “Like Cyberabad, it will become AI Patnam,” he said, referring to the AI data hub under development. The remarks come alongside Google’s plans to invest $15 billion in a 1 GW hyperscale AI data centre in Visakhapatnam—among the largest proposed investments in India’s tech sector to date.
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Framing the development within a broader global technology transition, Vaishnaw said India has an opportunity to take the lead this time. “When the entire world is moving towards a totally new cycle of technology, we should take the lead in this technology,” he noted, adding that the country had missed earlier cycles. He also pointed to shifting geopolitical dynamics as a key driver for supply chain diversification. “The entire world is looking for a trusted partner where IP rights will be respected, where the security concerns will be met,” he said, arguing that such a value chain “is possible only in India.”
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Encouraging deeper global participation, Vaishnaw urged companies to see India as a reliable partner. “Please consider India as your trusted value chain and supply chain partner,” he said, underscoring the government’s focus on “delivery, execution and transparency.” On the infrastructure front, he highlighted upcoming subsea connectivity in Visakhapatnam, noting that three cable landings in the city would significantly strengthen digital capacity. These, he said, would provide “very important infrastructure for our entire journey forward” and represent a major step for the country’s digital ambitions.
