The NITI Aayog, India's policy think tank, organized a workshop for state governments to discuss measures aimed at accelerating investments in AI-ready data centers. The aim was to ensure India becomes a global hub for AI infrastructure, capitalizing on its advantages such as renewable energy sources and technological talent, while bridging the gap between digital ambitions and computing capabilities. Recognizing the significant projected demand increase for data center electricity by 2026, the workshop highlighted the importance of coherent reforms in power, policy, and regulation to attract global AI investments and hyperscale corporations.
The event emphasized the development of six essential pillars for AI readiness: land, power supply, network infrastructure, computing capacity, skilled talent, and supportive policies. Participants suggested integrating this AI economy within a framework that values energy access, innovation systems, and effective execution over just competitive strategies focusing on land acquisition. The workshop concluded with the launch of a strategic report aiming to guide national-level AI infrastructure investments, which was developed in collaboration with Deloitte as a knowledge partner.
This initiative underscores the NITI Aayog's commitment to promoting cutting-edge technologies through awareness, readiness building, and policy innovation across various state governments, setting India on track for leadership in the transformative AI-powered economy.
Key Entities Referenced
NITI Aayog: Indian Governmental Think Tank
NITI Frontier Tech Hub: A hub within NITI Aayog focused on frontier technologies
AI: Artificial Intelligence
Datacentre: A facility used to house computer systems and associated components
India: Country
Indian: Relating to India
May 8, 2025: Date of the workshop
Vietnam: Country mentioned in context of AI investments
UAE: Country mentioned in context of AI investments
Indonesia: Country mentioned in context of AI investments
Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam: CEO of NITI Aayog
Deloitte: Knowledge Partner for the workshop
Shri Rajiv Gauba: Member, NITI Aayog
Ms. Debjani Ghosh: Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog
Mr. Romal Shetty: CEO, Deloitte South Asia
MNRE: Ministries of MNRE
Finance: Ministries of Finance
DoT: Ministries of DoT
Power: Ministries of Power
Accelerating AI Infrastructure Investments in India: Title of the strategic report launched at the workshop
MJPSSRRelease ID: 2127731: Release ID
NITI Aayog
NITI Frontier Tech Hub Organizes a Workshop for
States on Accelerating AI Datacentre Investments
Posted On: 08 MAY 2025 5:46PM by PIB Delhi
Recognizing the critical role of AI infrastructure in shaping India’s economic future, the NITI Aayog Frontier
Tech Hub hosted a high-level workshop on May 8, 2025, focused on accelerating investments in AI-ready
datacentres across Indian states. The workshop brought together senior officials from key state governments,
central ministries and industry leaders to chart a strategic roadmap for positioning India as a global hub for AI
infrastructure.
The deliberations spotlighted the widening gap between India’s digital ambitions and its current compute
capabilities. Although India generates nearly 20% of the world’s data, it accounts for just 3% of global
datacentre capacity. With AI adoption surging across sectors, the need for reliable, scalable, and sustainable
AI infrastructure has never been more urgent.
The workshop urged states to move beyond land- and real estate-centric models and embrace a new paradigm
anchored in access to clean energy, high-performance computing, and streamlined policy environments. Key
themes included:
The projected doubling of global electricity demand from datacentres and AI by 2026
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India’s unique advantages in renewable energy, deep engineering talent, and rapidly growing digital
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economy
The need for coordinated reforms in power, policy, and regulation to attract hyperscale and sovereign AI
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investments
Participants discussed the six critical pillars essential for AI datacentre readiness—land, power, network,
compute, talent, and enabling policies. The conversation highlighted the urgency for states to think not just
competitively within India, but globally, as countries like Vietnam, UAE, and Indonesia aggressively pursue
AI investments.
Speaking at the workshop, Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, said:
“India has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a global AI datacentre hub. With our clean energy
leadership, unmatched tech talent, and strong policy momentum, we are well-positioned to deliver the world’s
greenest and most cost-effective AI compute. But the competition is global. States must stop thinking only in
terms of land and start thinking in terms of AI ecosystems — anchored in energy, innovation, and execution.”
The workshop was organized in partnership with Deloitte, the Knowledge Partner, and featured participation
from ten states and representatives from defense, ministries of MNRE, Finance, DoT and Power.
Distinguished attendees included Shri Rajiv Gauba, Member, NITI Aayog; Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO
of NITI Aayog; Ms. Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog; and Mr. Romal Shetty, CEO,
Deloitte South Asia.
A strategic report titled "Accelerating AI Infrastructure Investments in India", providing a comprehensive
blueprint to unlock national-scale AI infrastructure investments was also launched in the workshop.
This workshop is part of the NITI Frontier Tech Hub’s ongoing efforts to drive frontier technology
awareness, readiness, and policy innovation across states and ministries—strengthening India’s journey to
becoming a global leader in the AI-powered intelligence economy.
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MJPS/SR(Release ID: 2127731)