India's data centre capacity to cross 1GW mark in 2024
top seven cities is poised to exceed one gigawatt by 2024, marking a near three-fold increase in just four years, reflecting the voracious appetite for content in a country that leads the world in smartphone data consumption.
That trend is likely to intensify as 5G networks expand further across the country that added a record 230 megawatts of new capacity last year.
Cushman & Wakefield reported that the total colocation capacity (IT load) in the top seven cities reached 884 MW in 2023, marking a 35% year-on-year increase.
«Colocation supply is expected to reach a record high next year, with numerous greenfield facilities set to go live by both domestic and international players.
Favourable regulations and the expansion of 5G will provide a boost to the sector, complemented by an ongoing emphasis on green data centers and energy efficiency,» said Vivek Dahiya, Managing Director and Head of the Data Centre Advisory Team, Asia Pacific, Cushman & Wakefield.
The Centre passed the Personal Digital Data Protection Act 2023, which offers a major boost to the domestic data centre industry by enabling data privacy for citizens.
New data centre operators continue to enter the Indian market, and they are expanding through greenfield developments, thereby challenging the dominance of existing players.
“The demand for data centers in our country is increasing rapidly, with both hyperscale facilities and colocation services in high demand. This growth can be attributed to our government's focus on localization and the policies that support it,” said Amit Sarin, Managing Director, Anant Raj Limited, which has an ambitious plan for investment in the data centre business.
