Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Wednesday announced new subsea cable routes to boost AI connectivity between India and the United States, along with large-scale skilling programmes aimed at public servants and students.
Speaking on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026, Pichai said Google will launch the India-America Connect Initiative, a new series of subsea cable routes linking the US, India and parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
The plan builds on Google’s previously announced USD 15 billion AI hub in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, which will house a gigawatt-scale compute facility and an international subsea cable gateway.
"I believe India is going to have an extraordinary trajectory with AI, and we want to be a partner," he said.
Calling AI a defining technological shift, Pichai said, "AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetime … for countries like India, AI presents a chance to leapfrog age-old gaps and create new opportunities."
He referred to its use in healthcare, education and climate resilience, and noted that Indian users are among the highest adopters of voice and visual search.
On infrastructure, he said, "Last year, we announced a USD 15 billion AI hub in VIzag. This hub will house gigawatt scale computers and a new international subsea cable gateway. When finished, it will bring jobs and the benefits of cutting edge AI people and businesses across India."
He added, "Google has full-stack connectivity in India, and I have never been more excited about the future we are building together."
Alongside infrastructure, Google outlined skilling plans. The Google AI Professional Certificate Program will be rolled out for students and early-career professionals in India.
The company will also work with Karma Yogi Bharat to train 20 million public servants across 800 districts in 18 languages. Generative AI support will be extended to over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, reaching 11 million students.
On research, Google announced a USD 30 million AI for Science Impact Challenge to support work in areas including quantum computing and climate modelling.
Partnerships with IIT Madras and the Indian government through Google DeepMind aim to widen access to advanced AI systems.
"AI is fundamentally shifting the pace of discovery, and I'm excited to see how we can continue accelerating science for real-world impact. From advancing quantum computing to predicting extreme weather, AI is giving us the tools to understand the universe in deeper ways and solve hard problems in science," he said.
Pichai also spoke about AI’s role in Google’s products. "Google AI Overviews - AI-generated summaries at the top of search results - is one of the most successful launches in search in the past decade," he said.
"And AI mode is now available across 35 new languages and 200 countries and territories. Indian users are among the highest global adopters of voice and visual search," he added.
"In the coming weeks, you'll see an enhanced model that powers search live in real time, voice and camera too, so more people can search what they see in their own language." Earlier in the day, Pichai met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We discussed how Google is helping with its mission to infuse AI at all levels in India to improve health, expand access to information in all languages, support startups, agriculture and so much more," Pichai said in a post on X.
PM Modi said, "It was a delight to meet Mr. Sundar Pichai on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. Talked about the work India is doing in AI and how Google can work with our talented students and professionals in this field."
