Google Doubles India Workforce as US Visa Costs Hit $100K
Google leases 2.4M sq ft in Bangalore as $100K H-1B visa fees push tech giants to expand India operations. AI talent hub sees 16% headcount growth.
Alphabet is leasing up to 2.4 million square feet of office space in Bangalore's Whitefield corridor, potentially doubling its India workforce to 34,000 employees. The expansion, centered in the Alembic City development, comes as stricter US visa policies push American tech companies to establish larger overseas operations.
Major Players Commit to Indian Hubs
The company confirmed leasing one 650,000 square foot tower that opened in 2025, with options on two additional towers. Google's competitors are making similar moves. Anthropic appointed former Microsoft executive Irina Ghose in January 2025 to lead its new India operations, while OpenAI also established an Indian presence.
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"India has a real opportunity to shape how AI is built and deployed at scale," Ghose said when announcing her appointment.
The Trump administration's proposed H-1B visa fee increases, potentially reaching $100,000 per application, are accelerating this shift. US tech companies increased their collective India headcount by 16% over the past year, the largest three-year jump according to talent advisory firm Xpheno.
"Immigration policy changes have influenced tech firms to relook talent plans for India," said Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno.
Growing Infrastructure and Talent Pool
India's global capability centers are projected to employ 2.5 million workers by 2030, up from 1.9 million in 2025, according to industry association Nasscom. These technology hubs focus primarily on artificial intelligence development and infrastructure.
Bangalore leads Asian cities as a tech talent hub with more than 1 million tech professionals, according to real estate services firm CBRE Group. The city's Whitefield and Devanahalli districts saw five to eight percent annual property appreciation in 2025, driven by demand from tech companies.
Bangalore attracted $1.2 billion in office investment during the first quarter of 2025, surpassing Mumbai and Delhi as companies secured space ahead of 2027 construction timelines.
Google is actively recruiting hundreds of positions in India, including AI practice directors, chip designers, and machine learning specialists. Many roles require PhDs, tapping into India's engineering talent pool while the country adds tens of millions of new internet users annually.
Strategic Investments Beyond Offices
Beyond office space, Google committed $15 billion to build an AI data center hub in Visakhapatnam, positioning India as a connectivity hub for the Asia-Pacific region. The facility includes undersea cable infrastructure expandable to multiple gigawatts.
The Indian government's IndiaAI Mission and Skill India Digital Hub aim to upskill workers in AI and machine learning, addressing the annual emigration of 18 million workers, including 34% of graduates from prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology.
Companies based in India prioritize diverse talent pools for hiring at 67%, compared to 47% globally, according to workforce development research.
Google's existing Bangalore campus, which opened in 2024, features amenities including mini golf and pickle ball courts, demonstrating long-term commitment to employee retention in the region. The company has not commented on specific headcount targets for the expanded facilities.
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