Latest news with #NehaAggarwal
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India may need 40–45 TWH more power and 50 million sq ft real estate for AI-linked data centres by 2030: Report
New Delhi: India will need 40–45 Terawatt-hours (TWH) of additional electricity and 45–50 million square feet of real estate space to meet the projected demand for data centres driven by artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030, according to Deloitte India's report "Attracting AI Data Centre Infrastructure Investment in India" . The report underscores the need for significant investments and targeted policy interventions to position India as a global hub for AI-enabled data centres. 'For India to accelerate its AI capabilities and realise its potential, it is necessary to introduce enabling policies to support the sector,' said S. Anjani Kumar, Partner at Deloitte India. The study identifies six pillars crucial to developing an AI-ready ecosystem in India: real estate, power and utilities infrastructure, connectivity and network infrastructure, compute infrastructure, talent, and policy framework. It also estimates the total investment required for the 47 GW AI data centre pipeline at around $360 billion. "India's strategic location allows it to serve domestic and global markets effectively," said Neha Aggarwal, Partner at Deloitte India. She added that building scalable power, cooling systems, and efficient network infrastructure would be necessary to attract global investments. The report notes that while India benefits from lower land and labour costs, substantial construction is still required. Interest in colocation models is rising, supported by government incentives through state data centre policies. Deloitte also highlighted policy gaps. It recommended introducing a separate category for data centres in the National Building Code, recognising them under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, and setting up dedicated data centre facilitation units to streamline approvals. The growth of data centres has increased pressure on India's power infrastructure. Deloitte suggests that expanding generation capacity, modernising the grid, and integrating renewable energy will be essential. 'Building a supportive policy framework for dedicated power supply infrastructure and improving renewable energy banking policies across states will be critical,' the report said. On the connectivity front, limited fibre optic reach, high latency, and unreliable internet remain bottlenecks. Policy support such as access to dark fibre, easing regulatory frameworks for terrestrial and subsea networks, and improving last-mile connectivity are recommended. For compute infrastructure, the report emphasises enhancing GPU supply, encouraging GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), and attracting foreign investment to build Exaflop-scale capacity. It also calls for Government-to-Government discussions to mitigate impacts of restrictive policies like the US AI Diffusion Framework on GPU imports. Deloitte highlighted talent development as another key area. The report recommended specialised training programmes and strengthening of AI research institutions in India. The firm also suggested policy updates such as Text and Data Mining (TDM) exceptions under the Copyright Act, streamlined data localisation rules, and creating dedicated data centre zones. Revisions to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 and the Telecommunication Act, 2023 were also proposed to exclude data centres from surveillance provisions and align operational realities. The report concludes that coordinated public–private investments and a comprehensive policy overhaul are critical for India to meet its AI infrastructure requirements and become a leading global AI data centre destination.>
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
JIRE wins 300 MW solar-plus-storage project under SJVN tender at ₹3.32/kWh
New Delhi: India will need 40–45 Terawatt-hours (TWH) of additional electricity and 45–50 million square feet of real estate space to meet the projected demand for data centres driven by artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030, according to Deloitte India's report 'Attracting AI Data Centre Infrastructure Investment in India'. . The report underscores the need for significant investments and targeted policy interventions to position India as a global hub for AI-enabled data centres. 'For India to accelerate its AI capabilities and realise its potential, it is necessary to introduce enabling policies to support the sector,' said S. Anjani Kumar, Partner at Deloitte India. The study identifies six pillars crucial to developing an AI-ready ecosystem in India: real estate, power and utilities infrastructure, connectivity and network infrastructure, compute infrastructure, talent, and policy framework. It also estimates the total investment required for the 47 GW AI data centre pipeline at around $360 billion. "India's strategic location allows it to serve domestic and global markets effectively," said Neha Aggarwal, Partner at Deloitte India. She added that building scalable power, cooling systems, and efficient network infrastructure would be necessary to attract global investments. The report notes that while India benefits from lower land and labour costs, substantial construction is still required. Interest in colocation models is rising, supported by government incentives through state data centre policies. Deloitte also highlighted policy gaps. It recommended introducing a separate category for data centres in the National Building Code, recognising them under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, and setting up dedicated data centre facilitation units to streamline approvals. The growth of data centres has increased pressure on India's power infrastructure. Deloitte suggests that expanding generation capacity, modernising the grid, and integrating renewable energy will be essential. 'Building a supportive policy framework for dedicated power supply infrastructure and improving renewable energy banking policies across states will be critical,' the report said. On the connectivity front, limited fibre optic reach, high latency, and unreliable internet remain bottlenecks. Policy support such as access to dark fibre, easing regulatory frameworks for terrestrial and subsea networks, and improving last-mile connectivity are recommended. For compute infrastructure, the report emphasises enhancing GPU supply, encouraging GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), and attracting foreign investment to build Exaflop-scale capacity. It also calls for Government-to-Government discussions to mitigate impacts of restrictive policies like the US AI Diffusion Framework on GPU imports. Deloitte highlighted talent development as another key area. The report recommended specialised training programmes and strengthening of AI research institutions in India. The firm also suggested policy updates such as Text and Data Mining (TDM) exceptions under the Copyright Act, streamlined data localisation rules, and creating dedicated data centre zones. Revisions to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 and the Telecommunication Act, 2023 were also proposed to exclude data centres from surveillance provisions and align operational realities. The report concludes that coordinated public–private investments and a comprehensive policy overhaul are critical for India to meet its AI infrastructure requirements and become a leading global AI data centre destination.>
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India may need additional 50 mn sqft real estate for data centres by 2030: Deloitte report
India may need an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate and 40-45 terawatt-hours (TWH) of incremental power for data centres by 2030, to keep pace with the surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI), according to Deloitte. Deloitte, in a report titled "Attracting AI Data Centre Infrastructure Investment in India", highlighted India's cost advantages, renewable energy focus, and strategic location but warned that the country's emergence as a global AI hub hinges on bridging critical infrastructure, talent, and policy gaps. As per Deloitte India's latest report, the country could require an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate space and 40-45 Terawatt Hours (TWH) incremental power by 2030 to meet the growing demand for AI. The report identified six pillars for building a world-class AI ecosystem: real estate, power and utilities, connectivity, compute infrastructure, talent, and policy framework. It called for targeted interventions, such as a separate category for data centres in the National Building Code and recognition under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, to incentivise specialised infrastructure. Fast-tracking and simplifying the approvals by setting up data centre facilitation units can help boost the deployment of data centres, it noted. Deloitte called for policy support, streamlined data localisation norms and the creation of dedicated data centre zones, which it believes will be key to strengthening India's AI infrastructure. "Additionally, amending data access provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 to reflect data centres' operational realities and excluding data centres from surveillance scopes under the Telecommunication Act, 2023 will provide key policy support required for boosting India's data centre capacity," it said. Moreover, implementing safe harbour rules for data hosting service providers and establishing data embassies will catalyse investment and spearhead India's data centre revolution," it said. Deloitte cautioned that rapid data centre expansion will intensify pressure on India's power grid, requiring urgent investments to expand generation capacity, upgrade infrastructure and better integrate renewable energy sources. Despite significant improvements, Deloitte said, India continues to face network and connectivity challenges such as limited fibre optic reach in rural areas, unreliable high-speed internet and high latency, which limit the country from realising its full potential in building data centres. "A greater focus on building high-performance compute infrastructure, scalable power and cooling systems and efficient networking infrastructure, with a reconsideration of policy framework, can make India a hotspot for AI-powered data centre development in the coming years," said Neha Aggarwal, Partner, Deloitte India.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India may need additional 50 mn sqft real estate for data centres by 2030: Deloitte report
India may need an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate and 40-45 terawatt-hours (TWH) of incremental power for data centres by 2030, to keep pace with the surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI), according to Deloitte. Deloitte, in a report titled "Attracting AI Data Centre Infrastructure Investment in India", highlighted India's cost advantages, renewable energy focus, and strategic location but warned that the country's emergence as a global AI hub hinges on bridging critical infrastructure, talent, and policy gaps. As per Deloitte India's latest report, the country could require an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate space and 40-45 Terawatt Hours (TWH) incremental power by 2030 to meet the growing demand for AI. The report identified six pillars for building a world-class AI ecosystem: real estate, power and utilities, connectivity, compute infrastructure, talent, and policy framework. It called for targeted interventions, such as a separate category for data centres in the National Building Code and recognition under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, to incentivise specialised infrastructure. Fast-tracking and simplifying the approvals by setting up data centre facilitation units can help boost the deployment of data centres, it noted. Deloitte called for policy support, streamlined data localisation norms and the creation of dedicated data centre zones, which it believes will be key to strengthening India's AI infrastructure. "Additionally, amending data access provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 to reflect data centres' operational realities and excluding data centres from surveillance scopes under the Telecommunication Act, 2023 will provide key policy support required for boosting India's data centre capacity," it said. Moreover, implementing safe harbour rules for data hosting service providers and establishing data embassies will catalyse investment and spearhead India's data centre revolution," it said. Deloitte cautioned that rapid data centre expansion will intensify pressure on India's power grid, requiring urgent investments to expand generation capacity, upgrade infrastructure and better integrate renewable energy sources. Despite significant improvements, Deloitte said, India continues to face network and connectivity challenges such as limited fibre optic reach in rural areas, unreliable high-speed internet and high latency, which limit the country from realising its full potential in building data centres. "A greater focus on building high-performance compute infrastructure, scalable power and cooling systems and efficient networking infrastructure, with a reconsideration of policy framework, can make India a hotspot for AI-powered data centre development in the coming years," said Neha Aggarwal, Partner, Deloitte India.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India may need 50 million sq ft real estate, 45 TWH power for AI data centres by 2030: Report
India may need an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate and 40-45 terawatt-hours (TWH) of incremental power for data centres by 2030, to keep pace with the surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI), according to Deloitte . Deloitte, in a report titled "Attracting AI Data Centre Infrastructure Investment in India", highlighted India's cost advantages, renewable energy focus, and strategic location but warned that the country's emergence as a global AI hub hinges on bridging critical infrastructure, talent, and policy gaps. As per Deloitte India's latest report, the country could require an additional 45-50 million square feet of real estate space and 40-45 Terawatt Hours (TWH) incremental power by 2030 to meet the growing demand for AI. The report identified six pillars for building a world-class AI ecosystem: real estate, power and utilities, connectivity, compute infrastructure, talent, and policy framework. It called for targeted interventions, such as a separate category for data centres in the National Building Code and recognition under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, to incentivise specialised infrastructure. Fast-tracking and simplifying the approvals by setting up data centre facilitation units can help boost the deployment of data centres, it noted. Deloitte called for policy support, streamlined data localisation norms and the creation of dedicated data centre zones, which it believes will be key to strengthening India's AI infrastructure. "Additionally, amending data access provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 to reflect data centres' operational realities and excluding data centres from surveillance scopes under the Telecommunication Act, 2023 will provide key policy support required for boosting India's data centre capacity," it said. Moreover, implementing safe harbour rules for data hosting service providers and establishing data embassies will catalyse investment and spearhead India's data centre revolution," it said. Deloitte cautioned that rapid data centre expansion will intensify pressure on India's power grid, requiring urgent investments to expand generation capacity, upgrade infrastructure and better integrate renewable energy sources. Despite significant improvements, Deloitte said, India continues to face network and connectivity challenges such as limited fibre optic reach in rural areas, unreliable high-speed internet and high latency, which limit the country from realising its full potential in building data centres. "A greater focus on building high-performance compute infrastructure, scalable power and cooling systems and efficient networking infrastructure, with a reconsideration of policy framework, can make India a hotspot for AI-powered data centre development in the coming years," said Neha Aggarwal, Partner, Deloitte India.
