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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Robust infra, surging demand, key reasons for boom

MMR A Data Centre Hub, Part – I Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is rapidly emerging as the epicentre of India’s data centre revolution, with a combination of strategic location advantages, robust infrastructure and surging demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing driving unprecedented investment into the region. As India’s data centre industry gears up to cross 3 gigawatts (GW) of operational capacity by 2028, according to CBRE’s 2026 Asia Pacific Data Centre...

Robust infra, surging demand, key reasons for boom

MMR A Data Centre Hub, Part – I Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is rapidly emerging as the epicentre of India’s data centre revolution, with a combination of strategic location advantages, robust infrastructure and surging demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing driving unprecedented investment into the region. As India’s data centre industry gears up to cross 3 gigawatts (GW) of operational capacity by 2028, according to CBRE’s 2026 Asia Pacific Data Centre Trends & Outlook report, MMR is expected to remain at the heart of this growth story. The region already accounts for the largest share of India’s operational data centre capacity and continues to attract a substantial portion of upcoming investments. Mumbai currently hosts more than 800 MW of operational data centre capacity, making it the country’s undisputed leader in digital infrastructure. Equally significant is the future pipeline, with another 750 MW under construction or in committed stages. Industry experts believe this momentum could transform the region into one of Asia’s most important digital infrastructure hubs over the next decade. The broader national backdrop supports this optimism. India’s total data centre stock stood at nearly 1,700 MW at the end of 2025, with CBRE estimating that an additional 500 MW of fresh supply will be added in 2026 alone. Driven by hyperscalers, cloud providers, global capability centres (GCCs) and AI-focused enterprises, the country has now been elevated from the “High Growth” category to the “Leading Markets” group in CBRE’s Asia-Pacific data centre rankings. “The combination of a low-bottleneck development environment, a rapidly expanding digital economy and aggressive hyperscaler commitments positions India as one of the most compelling DC markets globally,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE. “As AI workloads multiply and the demand base broadens beyond cloud to Neocloud, GCCs and enterprise users, we expect the country’s capacity trajectory to remain steep well beyond 2028,” he added. Unique Advantage Within India, however, MMR enjoys a unique competitive advantage. The region combines access to international submarine cable landing stations, extensive fibre connectivity, proximity to the country’s largest financial ecosystem and a deep enterprise customer base. These factors have made it the preferred destination for hyperscale operators seeking scalable, low-latency infrastructure. According to Kamlesh Thakur, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra, MMR possesses a rare combination of factors that continue to attract large-scale investments. “Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) possesses a unique combination of advantages that make it India's most preferred data centre destination. The region is home to the country's largest financial ecosystem, has access to international submarine cable landing stations, a strong fibre network, a large enterprise customer base and proximity to major cloud and digital service providers,” he said. Thakur added that proactive government policies, dedicated incentives, reliable power infrastructure and rising AI and cloud demand are further accelerating investments into the region. “MMR is increasingly emerging not just as India's financial capital but also as its digital infrastructure capital,” he noted. The growth is particularly concentrated along the Navi Mumbai–Thane corridor, which has evolved into the country's most active data centre cluster. Locations such as Navi Mumbai, Thane, Airoli, Ghansoli, Rabale, Mahape and Taloja are witnessing strong traction due to the availability of large land parcels, power infrastructure and high-capacity fibre networks.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

  • PTI
  • Feb 14, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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