Sovereign Silicon: Linking ‘Make in India’ to the AI Data Boom

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is in the process of updating certification standards for data centres to address the unique requirements of AI-driven facilities. Unlike conventional data centres, AI-focused infrastructure demands substantially higher power, water, and specialised structural capabilities.

According to industry estimates, AI data centres require nearly five times more power, ten times more water, and floor structures capable of bearing up to twenty times higher load per unit area. These enhanced requirements also introduce new physical and cybersecurity challenges, prompting MeitY to hold consultations with multiple agencies, including the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Industry stakeholders are calling for clear operational guidelines to support the transition. An executive from a Mumbai-based data centre operator noted that the government could consider a “Make in India” mandate for data centres, given their importance to national security. There is also increasing industry support for prioritising data centre operators that rely on renewable energy, aligning infrastructure expansion with sustainability goals.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.