Bengaluru, Feb 4, 2026, 00:49 IST
- According to a report, Alphabet could lease approximately 2.4 million sq ft of new office space in Bengaluru’s Whitefield corridor
- The site might accommodate up to 20,000 more employees, possibly more than doubling Alphabet’s presence in India
- Discussion of expansion surfaces amid stricter U.S. visa policies and rising H-1B expenses, prompting companies to reconsider their work locations
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is planning a significant boost to its presence in India, potentially adding workspace for up to 20,000 staff in Bengaluru, Bloomberg News revealed Tuesday. The company has already leased one office tower and secured options on two additional buildings at Alembic City in Whitefield, covering around 2.4 million square feet, the report noted. The first tower should welcome employees within months, with the other two expected to be completed next year. (Reuters)
Timing is critical. Companies face increased scrutiny over H-1B visas—used to bring in skilled foreign workers—while the Trump administration considers new taxes on outsourced labor, the report states. Donald Trump has pushed the cost of new H-1B visa applications sharply higher, from the previous $2,000–$5,000 range up to $100,000. (Streetinsider)
The report noted that if Alphabet fills the entire complex, it could add up to 20,000 employees, potentially more than doubling its presence in India. Currently, Alphabet has about 14,000 workers in the country, part of its roughly 190,000-strong global staff. It’s also a leading sponsor of H-1B visas, per U.S. government data. Reuters’ request for comment from Alphabet went unanswered. (MarketScreener)
Real-estate options typically grant a prospective tenant the right, though not the obligation, to expand their leased space later. Bloomberg Law reported that Alphabet is leasing one tower and securing options to buy two more at the Whitefield development. (Bloomberg Law)
Details remain unclear on how fast Alphabet plans to occupy the new campus or which teams will be based there.
Analysts have warned for years that tougher, costlier U.S. work visas could reshape how global tech companies staff up. Back in September, Derren Nathan from Hargreaves Lansdown noted the programme “punches above its weight when it comes to driving innovation.” (Reuters)
India is rapidly becoming a hotspot for “global capability centres”—offshore units that manage everything from finance support to engineering in-house. TeamLease Services reported in November that the number of these centres in India could surpass 2,400 by 2030, up from just over 1,800 today. Rishi Agarwal, CEO of TeamLease RegTech, remarked, “People don’t just change hiring and firing at the whim of some political policy-related decision.” (Reuters)
GCCs let companies hold onto key projects internally while accessing a vast talent pool beyond their home turf. In India, these centres have grown far past simple back-office tasks, now diving into product development and research.
Alphabet hasn’t committed to taking all the space, and tenants risk losing options if they don’t act on them. Meanwhile, the $100,000 H-1B fee faces legal challenges from business and research groups—a dispute that could still change the cost landscape for U.S. employers. (Reuters)
