VISAKHAPATNAM, India: Handcuffs encircle Google's logo on one campaign poster, while another warns that people "cannot drink data," as opposition mounts to the tech giant's planned artificial intelligence (AI) mega-facility in India. Excavators have begun clearing forest and farmland on the southeast coast for the $15 billion construction of Google's largest data centre outside the United States.
The project at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state, a port city often called Vizag, is championed by India as a cornerstone of its technological ambitions. However, many residents fear the data centre - one of several massive new tech sites in the region - will strain water and power resources, damage the environment, and provide insufficient local employment.
Farmer Chandala Sadamma said she was paid more than $82,000 for her two-acre (0.8-hectare) plot, but the transaction left a bitter taste. "Some company came and, without showing any respect, they took the land and we accepted it," the 50-year-old said.
Vizag serves as a landing point for submarine internet cables linking the country to Singapore, making the 600-acre site - equivalent to more than 340 football pitches - an ideal location. "The AI hub investment is a multi-decade commitment" carrying "an obligation to be a good neighbour," said Alexander Smith, Google's head of infrastructure and energy for Asia-Pacific.
"The watershed, the grid, and the communities around our facilities must be better off for our being here," he added, while the Andhra Pradesh government continues to support the project. Critics argue that the massive energy consumption required to cool servers will exacerbate local power shortages, while water usage remains a point of contention in an area already facing climate-related stress.
Environmental activists have joined the fray, highlighting the loss of biodiversity in the cleared forest areas. They argue that the economic benefits promised by the state government are overstated and will not trickle down to the displaced farming families who have lost their ancestral livelihoods.
Google maintains that it is committed to sustainability, promising to use renewable energy sources to power the facility. However, for the residents of Visakhapatnam, the promise of a digital future feels disconnected from the immediate reality of losing their land and natural resources.
As the construction progresses, the tension between global technological expansion and local community rights continues to intensify. The outcome of this standoff could set a precedent for how multinational corporations navigate land acquisition and community relations in emerging markets.
The state administration remains optimistic, viewing the project as a catalyst for economic growth. Officials claim that the data centre will attract further investment in the IT sector, potentially creating thousands of indirect jobs in the long run.
For now, the protest posters remain a visible reminder of the human cost of progress. Whether Google can successfully address these grievances or if the project will face legal hurdles remains to be seen in the coming months.