Ankara: Turkcell, a Turkish GSM operator, and Google have announced a significant $3 billion investment in Trkiye, which is expected to catalyze additional investment projects in the country, according to Trkiye's Vice President, Cevdet Yilmaz. Speaking at Google's Cloud Day event in Istanbul, Yilmaz outlined that Turkcell plans to contribute $1 billion, while Google Cloud will invest $2 billion, marking a positive development for the nation's economy.
According to Anadolu Agency, Yilmaz emphasized that this substantial investment symbolizes the confidence international investors have in Trkiye's economic strength, resilience, and capacity for innovation. Turkcell recently revealed a strategic partnership with Google to deliver Google Cloud services across various industries in Trkiye. This collaboration will involve developing the infrastructure required for a planned Google Cloud region in the country, with operations expected to commence between 2028 and 2029, thereby expanding Turkcell's data center portfolio.
Yilmaz highlighted that the creation of a hyperscale cloud region, facilitated through the collaboration with Google Cloud and Turkcell, represents a crucial strategic move that will bolster Trkiye's regional standing in data, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Trkiye's Minister of Industry and Technology, also praised the collaboration between Google Cloud and Turkcell, describing it as a pivotal step towards realizing Trkiye's strategic vision. He noted that the investment is slated to occur in the first half of 2026, with the nation currently holding a 250-megawatt data center capacity and aiming to expand it to 1 gigawatt by 2030.
Kacir stated that Trkiye is committed to supporting the establishment of high-quality data centers with a minimum capacity of 30 megawatts. He asserted that the investment by Turkcell and Google underscores the confidence that global technology leaders place in Trkiye. "Our businesses, entrepreneurs, public institutions, and researchers will now have access to world-class hyperscale cloud infrastructure," Kacir said. He further added that, with the support provided, Trkiye aims to mobilize $10 billion in data center and AI investments by 2030.