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Key Points

The government is fully backing an initiative to transform the Andaman Islands into a major global internet data hub. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the islands' strategic location as an ideal alternative to overburdened Singapore. This move would help connect Southeast Asia and Australia with enhanced data capacity through undersea cables. The announcement came alongside Google's major AI investment in Vizag, signaling India's push toward digital infrastructure expansion.

Key Points: Vaishnaw Backs Andaman as Global Internet Data Hub

  • Government pledges full support for Andaman global internet hub initiative
  • Strategic location to connect Southeast Asia and Australia with new data capacity
  • Proposed Vizag-Sittwe link to enhance digital connectivity in northeast states
  • Google's $15B AI Hub in Vizag to accelerate India's AI transformation
2 min read

Govt will support initiative to make Andaman next major hub for global internet data

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announces government support to make Andaman a global internet data hub, citing strategic location and Singapore's capacity issues.

"Why can't we make Andaman the next major hub for global internet data transfer? - Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, Oct 14

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday that we can make Andaman the next major hub for global internet data and the government will provide full support for the initiative.

The minister emphasised the importance of undersea subsea cable connectivity.

“The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are strategically located. Singapore is already overburdened. Why can’t we make Andaman the next major hub for global internet data transfer? From the Government of India’s perspective, we will provide full support for this initiative,” he said while addressing ‘Bharat AI Shakti’, an event hosted by Google ahead of its participation in the upcoming ‘India AI Summit’.

“The Andaman Islands can help Google and other internet-based organisations connect to Southeast Asia, Australia, and other regions that are seeking new data capacity,” he mentioned.

Vaishnaw also proposed establishing a Vizag-Sittwe (Myanmar) link to strengthen digital connectivity in the northeastern states, highlighting the need to enhance the existing RailTel network.

He noted that extending the cable via Myanmar to Mizoram would be a major step forward, as the railway line up to Sairang is already complete and work is underway to extend it to the Myanmar border as directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Vaishnaw highlighted AI services as a key emerging sector in India’s digital economy, urging Google to leverage the facility for talent and job creation.

He welcomed Google’s TPUs (Tensor Processing Unit) to compete with Nvidia’s GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit) as part of the common compute infrastructure under the India AI Mission.

The minister also highlighted that the AI Hub would significantly advance the goals of the India AI Mission, emphasizing the need for large-scale reskilling and upskilling of IT professionals amid rapid AI-driven changes. He urged Google to support the industry in this effort.

Google has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, enabling the company to deploy its full AI stack with the aim of accelerating AI-driven transformation across India.

This investment of approximately $15 billion over five years (2026–2030) marks Google’s largest investment in India to date and aligns with the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat Vision, which seeks to accelerate the expansion of AI-driven services.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great initiative but I hope they consider the environmental impact on Andaman's fragile ecosystem. Development shouldn't come at the cost of our natural heritage.
A
Arjun K
The Vizag-Sittwe link for NE states connectivity is much needed! Better internet in Northeast will boost education and business opportunities. Digital India moving forward! 💪
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Sarah B
$15 billion investment from Google is massive! This could create so many tech jobs and put India on the global AI map. Exciting times for Indian IT professionals!
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Vikram M
While the vision is good, I'm concerned about implementation. We've seen many grand announcements but ground reality takes years. Hope this doesn't remain just on paper.
K
Kavya N
The reskilling part is crucial! As an IT professional, I see AI changing everything. Companies and government need to work together to upgrade our skills. Good that they're addressing this.

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