If you’ve been following the world of artificial intelligence, you already know that 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year. But something happened this week that deserves your full attention—not just because it’s big, but because it changes how we think about AI’s global future.

From February 16 to 20, 2026, New Delhi is hosting the India AI Impact Summit, the first major global AI summit ever held in the Global South. And on February 19, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, took the stage at Bharat Mandapam to make an announcement that genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

Let me walk you through everything that was unveiled—and why it matters whether you’re a developer in Bengaluru, a student in Nairobi, or a tech enthusiast anywhere in the world.

The Announcement That Changed the Game

Sundar Pichai began his keynote with a personal story. He recalled his student days, traveling from Chennai to IIT Kharagpur on the Coromandel Express. The train would pass through Visakhapatnam—or Vizag, as locals call it—a quiet coastal city he described as “brimming with potential”.

Then came the punchline.

Let that sink in. $15 billion. A full-stack AI hub. Gigawatt-scale computing. A city that once saw trains pass through is now becoming a global node for artificial intelligence.

What Exactly Is a “Full-Stack AI Hub”?

The term “full-stack” gets thrown around a lot, but here it means something specific. Google isn’t just building a data center. They’re building an integrated ecosystem that includes:

• Gigawatt-scale compute infrastructure—the raw processing power needed to train and run advanced AI models
• A new international subsea cable gateway that will connect India directly to Singapore, South Africa, and Australia
• Four additional fiber-optic routes improving capacity between the US, India, and the Southern Hemisphere
• Three new subsea routes that will make Vizag a true global connectivity hub

This is infrastructure designed to last decades. It’s the kind of foundation that countries build when they’re playing the long game.

The India-America Connect Initiative

Alongside the Vizag hub, Google announced the India-America Connect Initiative, which will deliver new subsea cable routes to increase AI connectivity between India and the United States.

Why does this matter? Because AI capabilities are only as good as the networks that carry them. A country of 1.4 billion people can’t build an AI future on congested or unreliable connectivity. These cables are the digital highways that will carry India’s AI ambitions to the world—and bring the world’s AI capabilities to India.

Beyond Infrastructure: Science, Education, and Government

Infrastructure is essential, but it’s not enough on its own. That’s why Google’s announcements this week covered three additional pillars that, together, make this a genuinely comprehensive commitment.

1. DeepMind’s Science-Focused AI Models for Indian Researchers

Google DeepMind, the company’s elite AI research lab, announced a partnership with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), India’s apex research body.

Through this collaboration, Indian researchers and students will gain access to three cutting-edge AI models:

This is part of DeepMind’s National Partnerships for AI programme, which has previously engaged with the US and UK. India is now the third country to join this initiative.

Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind and recent Nobel laureate, spoke at the summit about the philosophy behind these tools. He described AlphaFold—which solved a 50-year-old problem in biology—as “the first of many advances” where AI doesn’t just assist researchers but fundamentally accelerates the pace of discovery.

2. A $30 Million “AI for Science Impact Challenge”

Beyond providing models, Google.org announced a $30 million “AI for Science Impact Challenge” to offer funding and technical support for researchers using AI to drive scientific breakthroughs.

This isn’t abstract philanthropy. It’s a bet that the next generation of scientific discovery will come from places where researchers have both talent and tools—and that India is exactly such a place.

3. The Google AI Professional Certificate Program

For students and early-career professionals, Google announced a new Google AI Professional Certificate course, developed in collaboration with Wadhwani AI.

The course will be available in English, Hindi, and multiple Indian languages. It’s designed to help people master AI in their work, whether they’re just starting out or looking to upskill.

4. Transforming Government with AI

The scale of government engagement here is genuinely impressive. Google Cloud will partner with the Centre to scale the iGOT Karmayogi platform, an upskilling platform for public servants.

The goal? Reach 2 crore (20 million) government employees across 800 districts in 18 Indian languages.

This matters because, as Google’s own data shows, 74% of public servants globally are already using AI in some form, but only 18% believe their governments are using it effectively. Closing that gap isn’t optional—it’s essential.

5. AI in Schools: Atal Tinkering Labs

Through a partnership with Atal Tinkering Labs, Google will help incorporate robotics and coding into local curricula and integrate Gemini chatbots into teacher workflows. This will reach 10,000 schools and 11 million students.

Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, framed it as moving “beyond traditional learning to fostering a culture of future-focused AI-driven innovation”.

The Bigger Picture: India’s Moment

Here’s what strikes me about all of this. It’s not just about money—though $15 billion is obviously significant. It’s about the shift in how India is being positioned in the global AI conversation.

The India AI Impact Summit itself is the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South. More than 110 countries and 30 international organizations are participating. Heads of government, ministers, and industry leaders from around the world are in New Delhi.

Sundar Pichai, speaking without notes, said something that captures the moment:

A full-stack player. That means research. Development. Infrastructure. Talent. And the ambition to shape AI’s future rather than just consume it.

What This Means for Developers, Students, and Builders

If you’re reading this as a developer or student, here’s what you should take away.

First, the infrastructure being built in Vizag isn’t just for Google. It’s for the entire ecosystem. When gigawatt-scale compute becomes available in India, it changes what’s possible for Indian startups, researchers, and developers.

Second, the DeepMind partnership means Indian researchers now have access to world-class AI tools that were previously available only in a handful of countries. If you’re working on genomics, climate science, or drug discovery, this is your moment.

Third, the skilling programs—from the AI Professional Certificate to the Atal Tinkering Labs—are designed to meet you where you are. Whether you’re in school, early in your career, or already working, there’s a pathway here.

Fourth, the government partnerships mean that AI isn’t just for the private sector. It’s being integrated into public services, civil service workflows, and education. That creates opportunities for builders who want to work on problems that matter at scale.

The Global Context

It’s worth stepping back and noticing the timing. Earlier this month, we saw major AI releases from multiple companies. The competition is intense. But this week, the story isn’t about which model is best. It’s about who gets to participate in the AI economy and on what terms.

India now ranks third in Stanford University’s global AI competitiveness index, behind only the United States and China. That’s not accidental. It’s the result of years of building digital public infrastructure—Aadhaar, UPI, ONDC—that most countries are only beginning to imagine.

What Google is doing with this $15 billion investment is placing a bet that India’s trajectory continues upward. And they’re not alone. Microsoft announced plans to invest $50 billion over the next decade to accelerate AI adoption in developing countries. NVIDIA is partnering with Indian cloud providers to supply advanced processors. OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s chief AI officer, and Bill Gates are all attending the summit.

The center of gravity in AI is shifting.

What I’d Love to See You Build

Here’s the part where I get personal. I’ve been writing about AI for a while now, and I’ve seen a lot of announcements. But this one feels different.

Not because of the dollar amount. Not because of the cables or the compute. But because of what it enables.

Somewhere right now, there’s a student in a tier-3 city who’s going to use these tools to build something extraordinary. A researcher who’s going to make a breakthrough because they have access to AlphaGenome. A developer who’s going to create the next great Indian AI startup.

If that’s you—or if you aspire for it to be you—I genuinely want to hear about it. Drop a comment. Share what you’re building. Ask questions. The best part of this journey is the people you meet along the way.

The Road Ahead

The India AI Impact Summit runs until February 20, and there will likely be more announcements before it concludes. But what we’ve seen already is enough to say this: India’s AI future just got a lot more real.

The infrastructure is being built. The models are being shared. The talent is being trained. And the world is watching.

For developers, students, and builders everywhere—not just in India—this is a reminder that the AI revolution isn’t happening in only one place. It’s global. And the more diverse the participants, the better the outcomes for everyone.

📊 Summary: Google’s India AI Commitments at a Glance

This is one of those moments where you can feel the future arriving. Not in a headline, not in a press release, but in the concrete decisions being made today that will shape what’s possible tomorrow.

If you’re building with AI—or planning to—this is your invitation to be part of it.