Alphabet is deepening its commitment to the Indian market, signaling that its next phase of AI-driven growth may hinge on the country's ability to develop faster networks and more extensive infrastructure.
At a high-profile artificial intelligence summit in New Delhi, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai outlined the "US-India Connectivity" initiative, which aims to deploy new fiber-optic routes linking India with the United States and other locations across the Southern Hemisphere.
This initiative builds upon Alphabet's existing undersea cable projects spanning the Pacific, Africa, and around Australia, seeking to enhance the speed and reliability of international connections as AI workloads continue to expand.
While speaking in Delhi, Pichai also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the current period as an extraordinary moment and emphasizing that the company is making significant investments in preparation.
This connectivity push follows a previously announced major commitment. Last year, Google stated it would invest approximately $15 billion over the next five years to establish an AI infrastructure center in southern India, representing its largest bet in the country to date.
The move aligns with a broader surge in global expenditures; Alphabet indicated earlier this month that capital expenditures for this year alone could reach as high as $185 billion. Collectively, these figures suggest that India could play a vital role in Alphabet's long-term AI development strategy, particularly as worldwide demand for advanced computing and data capacity continues to rise.