Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is making headlines with plans to construct what it claims to be the “world’s largest” data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
Mukesh Ambani’s Vision for a Gigantic Data Center
Plans for this ambitious project first surfaced in September 2024, with Ambani now reiterating its massive scale. The facility is expected to leverage AI semiconductors from Nvidia, which previously announced its partnership with Reliance to develop AI supercomputers in India.
Nvidia’s Blackwell AI processors will reportedly power Reliance’s gigawatt-scale data center, part of a joint initiative to build AI infrastructure across India.
Ambani highlighted the potential of AI in India, stating, “India should not export data to import intelligence… Apart from the US and China, India has the best digital connectivity infrastructure.”
Competing Global Projects
While Ambani’s data center is set to break records, other global players are also racing to build gigawatt-scale facilities.
Rival Developments Include:
- Start Campus: Launching a 1.2GW site in Sines, Portugal.
- Sailfish, Edged, and Meta: Developing gigawatt-scale campuses worldwide.
India’s Growing AI and Semiconductor Focus
The Indian government has pledged over Rs 10,000 crore ($1.16 billion) to support startups and AI projects. Additionally, India is making strides in semiconductor manufacturing:
- Tata Electronics partnered with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation in 2024 to build India’s first semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dholera, Gujarat.
- Other data center projects, like CtrlS’s $30 million facility in Ahmedabad, show Gujarat’s increasing focus on technology infrastructure.
Telangana’s Data Center Expansion
Telangana is also emerging as a data center hub, with significant investments and partnerships announced in Hyderabad.
Major Projects in Telangana
- Blackstone’s Data Center Arm (Ursa Clusters)
- 150MW facility.
- Investment: Rs 4,500 crore ($521 million).
- Focus: AI and cloud computing applications.
- US-based Ursa Clusters
- 100MW AI-optimized data center.
- Investment: Rs 5,000 crore ($580 million).
- Tillman Global Holdings
- Planned 300MW capacity at full build-out.
- Investment: Rs 15,000 crore ($1.7 billion).
Hyderabad: A Rising Data Center Hub
Hyderabad is quickly becoming a hotspot for data centers, attracting global players such as Iron Mountain, AdaniConneX, Nxtra, Microsoft, and Tata Communications. AWS also operates a cloud region in Hyderabad and announced expansion plans last year.
Dr. Sridhar Babu, senior minister for the Telangana government, stated: “This partnership will enhance Hyderabad’s stature as a global data center hub.”
The Road Ahead
As India develops its AI and semiconductor ecosystem, investments in data centers by giants like Reliance and global partnerships with Nvidia signal the nation’s ambitions to lead the digital future. Both Gujarat and Telangana are emerging as key players in this transformative journey.
