Maharashtra issues Letter of Intent to AirTrunk for Rs 2 lakh crore data centre project in Raigad
Mumbai, June 1
The Maharashtra government has issued a Letter of Intent with Australia-based data centre company AirTrunk for land allotment at the Raigad Pen Growth Centre for a proposed data centre project involving an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the development through a social media post after meeting AirTrunk founder and Chief Executive Officer Robin Khuda.
According to the Chief Minister, the proposed project will have a planned capacity of 3 GW and is expected to be one of the largest data centre investments in the state.
"Delighted to welcome CEO of AirTrunk Mr Robin Khuda to Maharashtra. We exchanged a Letter of Intent for land allotment at the Raigad Pen Growth Centre (Orange City) for their upcoming Data Center -- a massive Rs 2 Lakh Crore investment with 3 GW capacity," the Chief Minister said in the post.
He added that the investment would contribute to Maharashtra's digital infrastructure development and strengthen the state's position as a major technology and data centre hub.
The meeting was also attended by Australian Consul General Paul Murphy.
AirTrunk is a hyperscale data centre specialist serving cloud, content and large enterprise customers across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region.
The company develops and operates large-scale data centre campuses and focuses on reliability, technology innovation, energy efficiency and water efficiency.
According to the company, its design and construction capabilities allow it to provide scalable and sustainable data centre solutions while reducing build and operating costs.
Founded in 2015, AirTrunk opened Australia's first and largest hyperscale data centres in 2017 and has since expanded across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region.
The company describes itself as a technology platform supporting the rapid growth of the digital economy by developing infrastructure for some of the world's largest technology and cloud companies.
AirTrunk said it aims to support the increasing demand for digital services through large-scale and sustainable data centre infrastructure.
The company is backed by global investment firm Blackstone, an American alternative investment management company.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great news for the state! But I hope the environmental impact assessments are done thoroughly. Data centers consume a lot of water and electricity. If it's using renewable energy and water recycling, it's a win-win. Otherwise, local resources could get strained. Let's see the full details.
Raigad is becoming the next tech hub! After Reliance's Jio things, now this. AirTrunk is backed by Blackstone, so they have deep pockets. But what about cybersecurity and data sovereignty? With foreign companies storing Indian data, we need strict regulations. Otherwise, it's all good. 👍
As someone who works in cloud infrastructure, this is impressive. 3 GW is huge - it can power a small city. Maharashtra is clearly aiming to compete with Singapore and Mumbai for data center dominance. Hope they also invest in grid stability and fiber connectivity. Good move by the CM.
One concern: why does the land need to be so huge? Pen area has agricultural land and villages around. Hope they're not displacing farmers or using fertile land. The government should prioritize barren land near industrial zones for such projects. Otherwise, it's a fantastic opportunity for local youth.
Awesome! This is exactly what India needs - world-class digital infrastructure. With 5G and AI booming, data centers are the backbone. My only question is: when will construction start and how many jobs will it create directly and indirectly? Let's see the fine print. But overall, big thumbs up! 🙌
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