India’s Data Centre Policy: A Critical Evaluation
- RE Society of India RESI
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
India’s digital economy is at a defining moment. With hyperscalers, AI workloads, and cloud‑first enterprises driving unprecedented demand, the nation’s data centre sector stands at the crossroads of innovation and sustainability.
Our latest report — India’s Data Centre Policy: A Critical Evaluation of the 2020 Draft Policy — What Worked, What Was Left Unfinished, and What the New Policy Must Fix — authored by Radhey Shyam and Ajay Mishra, provides a visionary roadmap for the future. The report is available at - Data Centre Policy Report
🔑 Inside the Report:
A comparative snapshot of state‑level incentives fueling federal competition.
The urgent need for transmission corridors linking renewable‑rich states to data centre hubs.
A call for distributed, modular data centres near user load centres — reducing land costs and transmission losses.
The potential of coastal DC zones integrated with resilient transmission networks.
Leveraging carbon credits with decentralized solar farmers to build a truly inclusive, carbon‑free ecosystem.
A 10‑point action framework with KPIs and timelines to transform India into a global leader in sustainable, AI‑ready digital infrastructure.
India must move from fragmented growth to a future‑proof, green, and globally competitive data centre ecosystem — one that anchors its AI and cloud ambitions while delivering low‑cost, carbon‑free digital services to every user.
📖 Read the full report and join the movement to rewire India’s digital future.
National Data Centre Council of India (NDCCI)
“The new Data-Centre Policy must convert momentum into leadership—driving #InfrastructureInvestment, circular economy standards, and next-gen skills to secure India’s role as a sustainable, sovereign compute powerhouse.”
Council on Data Centres & AI Ecosystem in India (CDCAI India)
“We envision India as the world’s most trusted #AIInfrastructure hub, built on plug-and-play parks, single-window approvals, and domestic manufacturing to power the global #DigitalEconomy.”
Data Centres Association of India (DCAI)
“From metros to megawatts, India must pair hyperscale capacity with sustainability KPIs—ensuring every new megawatt of data-centre load is matched by #CarbonFreeEnergy and investor-grade reliability.”
Confederation of Digital Infra & AI Data Centres (CDI&AIDC India)
“India’s digital future depends on 24×7 #GreenCompute and AI-ready infrastructure. A national policy with clear fiscal incentives and clean-energy guarantees can unlock the next trillion-dollar growth wave.”
Major Highlights
India Data Centre Policy, National Data Centre Framework, Digital Infrastructure India, Hyperscale Data Centres, Edge Data Centres, Distributed Data Centres, Coastal Data Centre Zones, Transmission Network for Data Centres, Greenfield Data Centre Parks, Single Window Clearance, Carbon‑Free Data Centres, Renewable Energy Integration, Green Power Open Access, Clean Energy Mandates, Carbon Credits for Data Centres, Sustainable Digital Infrastructure, Climate‑Smart Data Centres, Energy Efficiency Metrics (PUE, WUE), Circular Economy in Data Centres, Net‑Zero Data Infrastructure, AI‑Ready Data Centres, Cloud‑First Infrastructure, Generative AI Workloads, Smart Grid Integration, Digital Twin for Data Centres, Resilient Supply Chains, Data Sovereignty & Localization, Cybersecure Data Infrastructure, Future‑Proof Policy, Digital India Infrastructure, India Data Centre Growth, Federal vs State Incentives, Investment in Data Centres India, Public‑Private Partnerships (PPP), Fiscal Incentives for Data Centres, Global Best Practices in Data Centres, Sustainable Investment India, Digital Economy Growth, AI & Cloud Infrastructure India
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