Alphabet, Google's parent company, is preparing its largest-ever expansion in India, securing office space in Bengaluru that could accommodate up to 20,000 additional employees - potentially more than
doubling its current Indian workforce.
New office space in Whitefield tech corridor
The tech giant has leased one office tower and purchased options on two others in Alembic City, a development in the Whitefield tech corridor, totalling 2.4 million square feet, Bloomberh reports citing sources familiar with the deal.
The first building is expected to begin accommodating workers in the coming months, with construction on the remaining two towers scheduled for completion in 2026. Alphabet has officially confirmed only the first office tower lease, disclosing its size at 650,000 square feet.
Real estate options provide prospective tenants with exclusive rights to rent or purchase property at predetermined prices within specific timeframes. However, it remains possible that Alphabet will not exercise its options on the additional towers.
Strategic response to H-1B visa challenges
The expansion comes as the Trump administration has significantly tightened restrictions on H-1B work visas, which technology companies have traditionally used to bring foreign talent to the United States.
Since September 2025, employers have been required to pay an additional $100,000 per H-1B visa petition, a substantial increase from previous fees of between $2,000 and $5,000. The administration has also replaced the long-standing random lottery system with a weighted selection process favouring higher-skilled and higher-paid workers, effective from February 2026.
Over 70 percent of H-1B visa holders are Indian citizens, making these restrictions particularly significant for technology companies with substantial Indian workforces.
Building on existing presence
Google already maintains a significant presence in India. The company currently employs approximately 11,000 people across teams in the country. Last year, it opened its largest campus in Bangalore, complete with indoor mini golf, pickleball courts and cafeterias serving cardamom tea.
Following the campus opening, Google posted hundreds of engineering positions in the city, ranging from AI practice directors in its cloud division to chip designers and machine learning specialists, many requiring PhDs.
India's growing tech talent pool
For AI companies such as Alphabet, India offers not only access to skilled workers but also tens of millions of new internet users coming online annually, representing potential customers for chatbots, AI assistants, and new AI coding tools.
The India headcount for major US tech firms - Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and Google - increased by 16 percent over the past 12 months, the largest jump in three years, according to Xpheno, a talent solutions and staffing company.
