India’s data center expansion hinges on efficiency and AI readiness

By Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director, International Copper Association (ICA) India

India’s digital economy is expanding at an unprecedented pace. With over 9 GW of new data center capacity expected by 2030, investments from Google, Microsoft, Reliance, and Adani are transforming the nation into a global data hub. Government initiatives such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the India AI Mission, and Digital India 2.0 have accelerated this buildout, while 5G adoption, UPI-driven digital payments, and surging OTT consumption have made India one of the world’s largest generators of data. Moreover, as generative AI adoption grows, AI-centric workloads will redefine data center architecture, pushing designs towards high density racks exceeding 100 kW and advanced cooling systems.

Yet as India races ahead on capacity, efficiency remains the real challenge. China’s mature data center ecosystem, currently operating around 10 GW and targeting up to 25 ...