Visakhapatnam, August 28 (H.S.): Andhra Pradesh is set to strengthen its position as a major digital landing hub with technology giants Google and Microsoft planning deep-sea internet cable projects and related digital infrastructure in Visakhapatnam.

Google is planning to establish an international subsea cable landing station and an AI facility in Vizag as part of its America-India Connect initiative. The proposed project is linked to a massive AI data centre campus planned by the company.

In another major development, Google, in partnership with Microsoft, Lightstorm and SingTel, is making arrangements for the I-2SEA deep-sea cable network spanning around 3,600 km. The network is expected to connect Visakhapatnam with Singapore and East Asia.

According to the information, the Microsoft-Lightstorm deep-sea cable network is expected to be available for public use by the end of 2029.

The state is also planning interconnected digital fibre networks along the Machilipatnam-Hyderabad-Mumbai and Chennai-Hyderabad-Mumbai corridors. These networks are expected to strengthen Visakhapatnam's potential as an international digital gateway.

Google is also planning to make Vizag the hub for its America-India Connect subsea cable. The proposed Google facility in Visakhapatnam is expected to focus on AI inferencing and cloud services rather than energy-intensive AI model operations.

The facility is also likely to use renewable electricity and air-cooling technology as part of the company's environment-friendly approach.

The proposed cable landing and digital infrastructure projects are expected to enhance Visakhapatnam's connectivity with international digital networks and strengthen Andhra Pradesh's position in the country's emerging digital infrastructure landscape.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar