**Executive Summary**
This report outlines the significant expansion of India’s data centre capacity, which grew from 375 MW in 2020 to over 1500 MW by 2025. Submitted to the Lok Sabha on March 18, 2026, the document details the commissioning of four submarine cable systems and the planning of three others to strengthen digital infrastructure. It also reinforces the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) mandate for domestic storage of payment system data.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Data Centre Growth and Distribution**
* Total domestic data centre capacity increased fourfold between 2020 and 2025.
* Mumbai and Navi Mumbai hold the largest share of operational capacity at 790 MW.
* Other major hubs include Chennai (305 MW), Bengaluru (182 MW), and Hyderabad (152 MW).
* Delhi-NCR/Noida currently operates at 76 MW, while Pune and Kolkata combined contribute 15 MW.
**Submarine Cable Infrastructure**
* **Systems Under Commissioning:** Four major systems are currently being established at Cable Landing Stations (CLS):
* India Europe Xpress (IEX) by Reliance Jio (Mumbai).
* SEA-ME-WE-6 by Bharti Airtel (Mumbai and Chennai).
* 2Africa by Bharti Airtel (Mumbai).
* Raman Cable by Sify Technologies (Mumbai).
* **Planned Systems:** Three systems have submitted applications to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT):
* Wyasa Cable System by Tata Communications (Chennai).
* Indian Ocean Cable (IOC) by Reliance Jio (Raigad).
* WABAN Cable System by Sify Technologies (Mumbai).
**Regulatory and Policy Framework**
* **Data Localization:** Per RBI circulars from 2018 and 2019, all payment system providers must store entire payment data exclusively within India.
* **Government Objectives:** Policies focus on creating a safe, trusted, and accountable cyberspace supported by sufficient domestic storage capacity.
* **Infrastructure Strategy:** While supporting submarine cables, the Government currently has no plans to establish new Sub-Sea Gateways.
**Impact Analysis**
**Telecom Service Providers (TSPs)**
**Impact**
TSPs are the primary drivers of international connectivity infrastructure, managing the installation and operation of submarine cable systems and Cable Landing Stations.
**Action Required**
Complete the commissioning of current projects (IEX, 2Africa, etc.) and coordinate with the DoT for the approval of planned cable systems.
**Payment System Providers**
**Impact**
These entities are legally bound by RBI's "Storage of Payment System Data" directives to ensure data sovereignty.
**Impact**
**Action Required**
Must ensure all system data relating to payments operated by them is stored strictly on servers located within India.
**Data Centre Operators**
**Impact**
The industry is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in coastal Tier-1 cities, to support the increased demand for digital services and infrastructure.
**Action Required**
Continue expanding operational capacity to meet the government’s vision of a strengthened digital infrastructure and domestic data storage.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY): The primary government body responsible for facilitating the establishment of data centres and strengthening digital infrastructure in India.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI): The central regulator that issued the data localization mandate, significantly driving the demand for domestic data storage capacity.
Department of Telecommunications (DoT): The government department responsible for processing applications and planning the commissioning of submarine cable systems.
Storage of Payment System Data: An RBI circular/directive requiring payment system providers to ensure that all data relating to payment systems is stored exclusively in India.
Ministry of Electronics & IT
Data centre capacity in the country has grown
from 375 MW in 2020 to more than 1500 MW
Four submarine cable systems currently under being
commissioned at various Cable Landing Stations (CLS); three
submarine cable systems are under planning
Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 4:04PM by PIB Delhi
In line with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision, the Government is democratising the
development and usage of technology.
The focus is facilitating establishment of data centres in the country which will help strengthen digital
infrastructure and improve delivery of digital services across various sectors.
Data Centre industry in India is growing at a steady pace. Data centre capacity in the country has grown
from 375 MW in 2020 to more than 1500 MW till 2025.
Data centres are spread across the country and as per industry sources major capacity is in following cities:
Sl. No. City Operational Capacity (in Megawatt)
1 Mumbai / Navi Mumbai 790
2 Chennai 305
3 Bengaluru 182
4 Hyderabad 152
5 Delhi-NCR/Noida 76
6 Other (Pune, Kolkata) 15
Four (4) submarine cable systems are currently under being commissioned at various Cable Landing
Stations (CLS) by different Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).The details are placed at Table-1 of Annexure-I.
Further, three (3) submarine cable systems are under planning by various TSPs for which applications have
been submitted to DoT.
The details are placed at Table-2 of Annexure-I and as on date, Government is not planning to establish
new Sub-Sea Gateways.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a circular DPSS. CO.OD. No 2785/06.08.005/2017-18 dated 6th April
2018 & FAQs thereto dated 26.06.2019 on “Storage of Payment System Data” advising all system
providers to ensure that the entire data relating to payment systems operated by them is stored in a system
only in India.
The policies of the Government of India are aimed at ensuring a safe, trusted and accountable cyberspace
with sufficient data storage capacity within country.
*******
Annexure-I
Table-1: List of Submarine Cable Systems
Sl Name of the Name of the Telecom Location of the Cable Status
No. Submarine Cable Service Provider Landing Station (CLS)
System
1 India Europe Xpress M/s Reliance Jio Mumbai (Maharashtra) Under
(IEX) Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) commissioning
2 SEA-ME-WE-6 M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd Mumbai (Maharashtra), Under
(BAL) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) commissioning
3 2Africa M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd Mumbai (Maharashtra) Under
(BAL) commissioning
4 Raman Cable M/s Sify Technologies Mumbai (Maharashtra) Under
Ltd (Sify) commissioning
Table-2: List of planned Submarine Cable SystemsSl Name of the Name of the Telecom Location of the Cable Status
No. Submarine Cable Service Provider Landing Station
System (CLS)
1 Wyasa Cable M/s Tata Chennai (Tamil Nadu) Under planning.
System Communications Ltd Application has been
(TCL) submitted
2 Indian Ocean M/s Reliance Jio Raigad (Maharashtra) Under planning.
Cable (IOC) Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) Application has been
submitted
3 WABAN Cable M/s Sify Technologies Mumbai (Maharashtra) Under planning.
System Ltd (Sify) Application has been
submitted
This information was submitted by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology
Shri Jitin Prasada in Lok Sabha on 18.03.2026.
****
MSZ
(Release ID: 2241783) Visitor Counter : 179
Read this release in: Urdu , ही