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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.

Omar welcomes Indus Water Treaty suspension, calls it “most unfair document” for J&K



SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday welcomed the Central government’s decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives. He also referred to the treaty as the “most unfair document” for the people of J&K.


“The Government of India has taken some steps. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, let’s be honest. We have never been in favour of the Indus Waters Treaty. We have always believed it to be the most unfair document to people of J&K,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar after meeting representatives from the tourism, trade, and industry sectors. However, he noted that the long-term impact of this move is still uncertain.


The IWT suspension is part of India’s response to the brutal attack. Other actions include expelling Pakistani military attaches and shutting down the Attari land-transit point immediately.


When questioned about the impact of the April 22 attack on the region’s tourism industry, Abdullah dismissed concerns about monetary losses. “At this juncture, we are not counting rupees or paisa. Not one of the businessmen or stakeholders in the tourism industry who attended the meeting lamented the loss of business. Not one of them expressed any concern about what would happen to them.”


“Right now, our priority is to express solidarity with the bereaved,” he said, adding, “At some point in future, we may sit down to discuss the financial implications (of the attack) on J&K’s economy. But not a single stakeholder present in the meeting raised a demand for monetary relief for the losses they are suffering.”


Omar described the tourist exodus from J&K after the massacre as “heartbreaking”. The future of the Valley’s tourism sector remains uncertain, with widespread trip cancellations following the attack.

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