Powering Asia Pacific’s data centre boom
A focus on India: Unlocking sector growth and accelerating decarbonisation together
India stands at a defining moment. As the Asia Pacific prepares to receive nearly US$800 billion in data centre investment by 2030, India has the opportunity to emerge as a global hub if it resolves the power challenge.
The question is no longer whether data centre growth will happen. The question is: Can it be powered cleanly, reliably and at scale?
Why this matters:
India contributes ~20 percent of global data consumption but hosts less than 5 percent of the world’s data centres. At the same time:
- Data centre capacity is projected to grow from ~1.5 GW in 2025 to 8–10 GW by 2030
- AI-led demand could require an additional 40–45 TWh of power
- Electricity consumption from data centres could rise to 2.5–3 percent of national demand
This growth is transformational for digital infrastructure, sovereign capability and economic development. But it hinges on one critical lever: power and utilities infrastructure.
The core challenge:
Data centre growth is accelerating at a time when:
The opportunity:
India has a strategic advantage:
With the right policies and sourcing strategies, India can position itself as a global leader in sustainable AI infrastructure.
The solutions that can unlock growth:
The report outlines practical and scalable pathways:
A call to collective action:
This is not just a sectoral issue. It is a national infrastructure priority. To unlock sustainable growth, collaboration is needed across:
- Central and state governments
- Grid operators and DISCOMs
- Renewable developers
- Data centre operators
- Institutional investors
If harnessed correctly, this moment can ensure India does not merely participate in the AI revolution but powers it sustainably.
