Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Friday, February 20, placed the US-India partnership at the centre of the global AI conversation, saying the two countries will play a defining role in shaping the technology’s future.
“We are on the cusp of an era of hyper-progress and new discoveries — but the best outcomes are not guaranteed,” Pichai said on Day 5 of the India AI Impact Summit, adding that governments and companies must work together to ensure AI’s benefits reach “everyone, everywhere.”
Calling Google a bridge between the United States and India “both figuratively and literally”, Pichai announced the India-America Connect initiative.
He said new subsea cables linking the US, India and the southern hemisphere would significantly expand digital trade routes.
“From AI hubs to cables — everything depends on secure flows,” he said, stressing the need for stable and trusted supply chains.
He added that Pax Technica strengthens safe technology partnerships and described the recent India-US trade agreement as historic, setting the base for a long-term technology partnership.
Pichai said India is poised for an “extraordinary AI trajectory,” and that Google is backing that with a full-stack commitment across products and infrastructure.
He said the company has contributed 22 Gemma models to AIKosh and is working with the government on real-world AI impact. He pointed to use cases such as monsoon forecasts for farmers, diabetic retinopathy screening and expanding multilingual access, saying AI must solve practical problems.
AI is also reshaping everyday products, he said, noting that Indian users are among the highest adopters globally of voice and visual search. Scam detection features such as Circle to Search and Lens see some of their highest usage in India.
Pichai repeated his warning that while AI can drive hyper-progress, positive outcomes are not automatic and require responsible development.
He again underlined that AI could help emerging economies leapfrog legacy gaps, and that digital infrastructure investments — including subsea connectivity — will drive economic activity.
He stressed the need to pursue AI both “boldly” and “responsibly,” calling it a defining moment that requires collaboration between governments, companies and developers.
On Day 4 of the summit, Pichai reflected on travelling on the Coromandel Express during his student days, recalling how it passed through Visakhapatnam — now home to Google’s first AI Hub in India.
He said the company is establishing the hub with an approximately $15 billion investment over five years (2026–2030), bringing together data centre capacity, AI infrastructure, fibre networks and clean energy.
