Google parent Alphabet is doubling down on India’s Silicon Valley. Reports today confirm the company has leased one tower and grabbed options for two more at Alembic City in Whitefield. We are looking at a 2.4 million square foot footprint. If they pull the trigger on all three towers, they could add 20,000 employees. This isn’t just an office; it’s a hedge against US immigration policy.
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The first tower, roughly 6.5 lakh square feet, is opening “in the coming months.” The other two should be ready by next year. Currently, Google has about 14,000 people in India. This move would literally double their presence. Whitefield is already a nightmare for traffic, but for tech giants, it’s the place to be—it accounts for 22% of Bengaluru’s total IT outpu
Let’s be real: $100,000 per visa application is a “talent tariff.” The Trump administration’s hike from the old $2,000–$5,000 range has made hiring foreign workers in the US prohibitively expensive. Instead of paying the US government a massive fee, Google is putting that money into Bengaluru real estate. It’s cheaper to build an AI lab in India than to fly an engineer to Mountain View.
This isn’t just about back-office support anymore. Google is hiring for:
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AI Practice Directors
Machine Learning Specialists
Semiconductor Chip Designers
PhD-level Researchers
YouTube is also reportedly building a massive generative AI engineering team right here in India. Even rivals like Anthropic (led by ex-Microsoft exec Irina Ghose) are setting up shop.
Staffing firm Xpheno says the combined India headcount for the “Big Tech” cohort (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Netflix) grew 16% over the last year. That is the biggest jump in three years. While the US is seeing layoffs (Amazon just cut 16,000 corporate roles), India is seeing a hiring spree.
Field Notes
The “Wait” Game: H-1B processing is so backed up that some stamping appointments are being pushed into 2027. Moving work to India is the only way to meet 2026 deadlines.
Luxury Tarmac: The new campus features mini-golf and cardamom tea cafeterias. They are desperate to keep the “Silicon Valley” vibe to prevent talent from jumping to AI startups.
The “Billion-Dollar” Burn: Google is losing $1 billion a month globally on AI dev. Saving on US visa fees is a drop in the bucket, but it helps the bottom line.
Local Shift: Hiring isn’t just in metros; Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities saw a 30% rise in tech openings this year.
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[Image Description]
A sleek architectural render of the three glass-fronted towers at Alembic City in Whitefield, Bengaluru, with large Google logos at the entrance and employees walking through a lush green campus filled with outdoor seating and modern amenities.
The Cost of a Senior AI Engineer (2026)
| Location | Base Salary (Est.) | Visa/Legal Fees | Total Cost to Company |
| Silicon Valley (H-1B) | $250,000 | $100,000 | **$350,000+** |
| Bengaluru (Local) | $85,000 | $0 | **$85,000** |
| Remote (US Citizen) | $220,000 | $0 | **$220,000** |
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Reality Check
The “20,000 employees” headline is an “if.” Alphabet has only officially confirmed leasing one tower (650,000 sq. ft.). The other two are “options.” In corporate-speak, that means they can walk away if the US suddenly lowers visa fees or if their AI revenue doesn’t hit targets. It’s a plan, not a promise.
The Loopholes
Notice how the report says the $100k fee is for “new applicants”? Current H-1B holders and renewals aren’t hit as hard—yet. But the fear of future taxes on outsourced work is what’s driving this. Google is front-loading their India hiring before any “outsourcing tariffs” can be signed into law.
The Kicker
The irony here? The US is trying to protect local jobs by making foreign workers more expensive. But instead of hiring Americans, Big Tech is just moving the entire department to India. The $100,000 fee was meant to be a barrier, but it’s turned into a catalyst for the biggest tech brain-drain in decades. Bengaluru isn’t just a “hub” anymore; it’s becoming the headquarters.
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