Why in News
Reliance Industries announced on June 10, 2026 that it will build a 168 MW AI-enabled data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with Meta leasing the capacity. This is Meta’s first built-to-suit data-centre capacity in India. The facility is planned to run on renewable energy and use desalinated seawater for cooling, with Meta covering the full energy and water cost. It signals India’s growing role as a hub for artificial-intelligence infrastructure.
The Project at a Glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Builder | Reliance Industries |
| Capacity | 168 MW (AI-enabled) |
| Location | Jamnagar, Gujarat |
| Lessee | Meta (its first built-to-suit data-centre capacity in India) |
| Power | Renewable energy |
| Cooling | Desalinated seawater |
| Cost | Meta to cover full energy and water cost |
| Timeline | Delivery within about two years |
The deal builds on the existing Reliance-Meta relationship, which began with Meta’s 2020 investment in Jio Platforms and extended to a 2025 joint venture for enterprise AI products using open-source Llama models.
Why Data Centres Matter for AI
A data centre houses the servers, storage and networking that power digital services. AI data centres are specialised, using high-density computing (GPUs) that consume large amounts of electricity and require intensive cooling, often a major water user.
The choice to power this facility with renewables and cool it with desalinated seawater addresses the two biggest sustainability concerns of AI infrastructure: its carbon footprint and its water footprint. This is a “green data centre” model.
India’s AI Infrastructure Push
The project fits a wider national effort to build domestic AI capacity.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| IndiaAI Mission | Approved in 2024 with an outlay of about Rs 10,371 crore to build AI compute, datasets and skilling |
| Data localisation | The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 frames data handling |
| Compute capacity | India is expanding GPU-based compute, key to training large AI models |
Hosting global Big Tech compute capacity in India brings investment and jobs, but it also raises questions about digital sovereignty and dependence on foreign platforms.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims
- 168 MW AI data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat; built by Reliance, leased by Meta
- Meta’s first built-to-suit data-centre capacity in India
- Powered by renewable energy, cooled by desalinated seawater
- India’s national AI programme: the IndiaAI Mission (approved 2024, about Rs 10,371 crore)
- Data handling framed by the DPDP Act, 2023
Mains Angles
- GS3 Digital Economy: Examine India’s emergence as a hub for AI data-centre infrastructure and its economic opportunities and risks.
- GS3 Sustainability: Discuss the energy and water footprint of AI data centres and the case for green data centres.
- GS3 Digital Sovereignty: Analyse the tension between attracting Big Tech compute and preserving digital sovereignty.
Facts Corner
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 168 MW |
| Location | Jamnagar, Gujarat |
| Builder / Lessee | Reliance / Meta |
| Power | Renewable energy |
| Cooling | Desalinated seawater |
| Significance | Meta’s first built-to-suit capacity in India |
| National mission | IndiaAI Mission (2024, ~Rs 10,371 crore) |
| AI models reference | Meta’s open-source Llama |
Sources: Business Today, MeitY, LiveMint
Source: Reliance and Meta to Build a 168 MW AI Data Centre in Jamnagar — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
