Reliance Industries—controlled by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani—said Wednesday it will build the first AI-driven data center designed for Facebook parent Meta Platforms in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Under the deal, Reliance will develop a 168-megawatt data center that will be leased to Meta when completed in two years, according to a statement released by the Mumbai-based conglomerate. Financial details for project were not disclosed but Reliance said there’s room for future expansion.
“This partnership with Meta marks a transformative moment for India’s digital infrastructure,” Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, said in the statement. “Building India’s first built-to-suit data centre for a global technology leader of Meta’s scale demonstrates India’s readiness to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution.”
Gujarat was selected as the location for the project because it offers adequate infrastructure, access to renewable energy and water, proximity to India’s western submarine cable landing stations, and connectivity through Jio’s extensive fiber network, Reliance said.
“We’re proud to be working with Reliance to build our first AI-enabled data center in India,” Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta said. “This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India’s economy.”
India has become a hotspot for data center investments, driven by growing demand for AI and cloud computing. The boom has attracted some of the country’s billionaires. Ambani’s Reliance Industries has pledged to invest 10 trillion rupees ($110 billion) over the next seven years in data centers, renewable energy, and other infrastructure projects across India. Meanwhile, Gautam Adani’s Adani Enterprises plans to invest about $100 billion in the sector.
Foreign investors are also pouring money into the sector. Most recently, AirTrunk—the data center company founded by Australian billionaire Robin Khuda and backed by Blackstone—announced plans to invest more than 3 trillion rupees ($30 billion) in data center projects in India by 2030.
With an estimated real-time net worth of $86.6 billion, Ambani is among the wealthiest in India. He leads Reliance Industries, which has interests in energy, petrochemicals, telecommunications, retail, media and financial services.
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