New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) India’s data centre (DC) capacity is projected to grow around 30 per cent year-on-year in 2026, driven by strong demand and continued investor interest, according to a report released on Wednesday.

As per an analysis by CBRE, the estimates suggest an addition of nearly 500 MW of new supply this year, building on the record 440 MW capacity added in 2025 — a 160 per cent jump compared to the previous year.

Domestic total data centre capacity stood at around 1,700 MW at the end of 2025, according to the report.

The sector has also attracted significant capital, with investment commitments reaching $56.4 billion in 2025, taking the cumulative total to $126 billion.

These commitments are expected to rise by around 45 per cent this year, potentially crossing $180 billion.

“The data centre story in India is no longer about potential but about execution at scale,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO, CBRE, adding that foreign capital continues to play a dominant role in driving growth.

Major states such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are expected to lead investments, although activity is increasingly spreading to tier-II cities including Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Patna and Bhopal due to rising demand for lower latency, 5G rollout and data localisation, according to the report.

It further highlighted that Mumbai remains the largest hub — accounting for over 50 per cent of India’s operational data centre inventory.

Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru together contribute nearly 90 per cent of total capacity.

The report also noted that rising demand from artificial intelligence and cloud computing is increasing pressure on power infrastructure, prompting operators to focus on renewable energy sourcing.

India added a record 44.5 GW of renewable capacity in 2025.

According to CBRE, supportive government policies — including tax incentives, green capex support and regulatory easing — are expected to further accelerate investments and position India as a key data centre hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

–IANS

ag/na