Union Minister Says Andaman to be Hub for Internet Data Transfer
At the Bharat AI Shakti event, Union IT and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw advocated for establishing Andaman as a major global internet data transfer center, citing its strategic geographical positioning. The minister additionally urged the extension of submarine cables to Myanmar, which could subsequently reach India's northeastern regions.
At the same event, technology corporation Google revealed its largest investment to date of $15 billion for developing an AI center in Andhra Pradesh, featuring a gigawatt-capacity data facility created in collaboration with Adani Group.
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"Why can't we make Andaman the next big hub for global Internet data transfer? Andaman can actually help Google and every other Internet-based organization to reach Southeast Asia, to Australia, to a large part of the world, which is today looking at totally new capacity," the minister says.
Google has formed an alliance with Bharti Airtel to construct this specialized, gigawatt-scale data center in Visakhapatnam, ensuring the infrastructure can effectively manage India's intensive AI processing requirements.
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Within this initiative, Airtel will develop an advanced Cable Landing Station in Visakhapatnam to accommodate Google's new international underwater cables. The telecommunications provider will build and operate a comprehensive, high-capacity, low-delay fiber network covering both local and intercity connections to enhance system reliability and capacity.
Vaishnaw encouraged businesses to establish connectivity from Vizag to Myanmar's Sittwe, enabling cable extension to India's northeastern territories.
"The current connectivity that we are providing via the railway networks, the Railtel network, requires significant augmentation. If we can really go via Myanmar to Mizoram...so that we can take the cable up to the northeastern states because northeastern states require much better connectivity," Vaishnaw said.
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According to his statement, railroad tracks have been constructed as far as Sairang in Mizoram, and the Prime Minister has issued orders to continue the railway extension to Myanmar's border. Meanwhile, highway construction from Sittwe is currently underway.