India’s data centre capacity has surged to over 1,500 MW by 2025 from 375 MW in 2020, as per Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. This expansion underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing digital infrastructure and technology accessibility. Prasada emphasized the government’s focus on democratizing technology development and usage in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.
Efforts are underway to facilitate the establishment of data centers nationwide to enhance digital service delivery. Mumbai and Navi Mumbai lead in operational data center capacity with 790 MW, followed by Chennai (305 MW), Bengaluru (182 MW), Hyderabad (152 MW), and Delhi-NCR/Noida (76 MW). Other cities like Pune and Kolkata contribute a smaller share.
Prasada mentioned that telecom service providers are commissioning four submarine cable systems at various landing stations, including India Europe Xpress by Reliance Jio, SEA-ME-WE-6 and 2Africa by Bharti Airtel, and the Raman Cable by Sify Technologies, primarily in Mumbai and Chennai. Additionally, three more submarine cable systems are in the planning stage, with projects by Tata Communications, Reliance Jio, and Sify Technologies.
The government, as part of ensuring a secure digital ecosystem, mandates that all payment system data must be stored within India, according to the Reserve Bank of India. This move aligns with the government’s objective of bolstering data storage capacity within the country and enhancing cybersecurity measures.
