View attachment 200554
AirTrunk, the data center company founded by Australian billionaire of Bangladeshi origin Robin Khuda and backed by U.S. private equity giant Blackstone, has announced plans to invest more than ₹3 trillion (approximately $30 billion) in India’s data center sector by 2030.
The announcement follows meetings between Robin Khuda, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other government officials. In a statement released on Friday, AirTrunk said it aims to develop nearly 5 gigawatts of data center capacity across India to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing services.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the investment on social media platform X, stating that such initiatives would strengthen India’s position as a global hub for AI and cloud computing. He added that the project would create jobs, support local supply chains, and accelerate innovation-driven economic growth.
The largest of AirTrunk’s planned projects will be located in Maharashtra. Earlier this week, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed that the company intends to build a 3-gigawatt data center hub in the state with an investment of around ₹2 trillion. AirTrunk has already signed a Letter of Intent to acquire land for the project in Raigad, near Mumbai.
Speaking to Forbes Asia, AirTrunk CEO Robin Khuda described India as one of the few markets that aligns with the company’s long-term growth ambitions. He highlighted the country’s massive population, rapid digital adoption, and strategic commitment to AI as key factors driving the investment.
As part of its expansion strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, AirTrunk acquired Mumbai-based data center developer Lumina CloudInfra in April. Through the acquisition, the company plans to add another 600 megawatts of data center capacity across India.
