Google's $15 Billion AI Hub in India Draws Local Environmental Backlash

Google began construction in April 2026 on a $15 billion AI Hub in Visakhapatnam, India, with gigawatt-scale data center capacity. The New York Times reported on July 16, 2026, that the project has become a flashpoint between India's push to attract AI infrastructure investment and local concerns over water and energy demands from data centers.