Key Takeaways
- India data centre expansion could push the country’s data centre footprint beyond 101 million sq ft by 2030.
- Data centre capacity is expected to cross 6.7 GW by 2030.
- More than $300 billion in investment commitments support India’s expansion.
India’s data centre expansion is projected to nearly quadruple the country’s footprint from 27 million sq ft in H1 2026 to more than 101 million sq ft by 2030. The expansion is being driven by rising digital consumption, cloud adoption, artificial intelligence workloads, and growing data use, creating demand for land, power, cooling, and connectivity.
India data centre expansion set for rapid growth
India’s data centre footprint has grown sharply from just 0.6 million sq ft in 2007 to nearly 27 million sq ft in the first half of 2026. The development pipeline could push the total beyond 101 million sq ft by the end of 2030.
The expansion is supported by more than $300 billion in investment commitments. The scale of capital involved reflects the infrastructure required to support the country’s growing digital activity.
Data centre capacity has also increased rapidly. India had less than 1 GW of capacity a few years ago, but that figure crossed 1.8 GW in H1 2026. Capacity is expected to exceed 6.7 GW by 2030, meaning it could more than triple within 4 years.
The growth is being supported by cloud services, AI workloads, digital platforms, and higher data consumption. As computing requirements increase, operators are seeking locations that can provide sufficient land, electricity, connectivity, and cooling infrastructure.
For Indian businesses, the expansion creates demand across several connected industries. Land development, power infrastructure, renewable energy, construction, engineering, fibre networks, and cooling systems are all becoming increasingly relevant to the data centre industry.
The sector is also developing differently from conventional office and industrial real estate. Data centres require large amounts of power and specialised equipment, along with systems that can maintain stable operations and manage significant heat generation.
Infrastructure requirements shape the next growth phase
India’s data centre expansion is occurring within a much larger global expansion. Worldwide data centre capacity crossed 92 GW in H1 2026 and is projected to exceed 210 GW by 2030.
Global investment commitments reached about $3 trillion in the first half of 2026. India’s capacity is expanding at around 2 to 3 times the global average, according to the report.
The next stage of India’s expansion could depend increasingly on physical infrastructure. Securing suitable land, obtaining adequate power capacity, accessing renewable energy, and establishing high-capacity fibre connectivity will influence where new facilities can be developed.
This shift is turning data centres into an infrastructure-led real estate segment. Their requirements extend beyond buildings and include electricity supply, cooling systems, network connectivity, and specialised engineering.
The expected increase from 27 million sq ft in H1 2026 to more than 101 million sq ft by 2030 also means greater activity for businesses supporting construction and operations. Power providers, engineering companies, cooling specialists, fibre operators, and renewable energy suppliers could all see demand linked to new facilities.
With capacity expected to rise from 1.8 GW to more than 6.7 GW over the same period, India’s data centre expansion is set to involve both physical development and substantial increases in computing infrastructure. The combination is making data centres an increasingly significant part of India’s real estate and infrastructure markets.
