New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) India is the second-largest data centre market in the Asia-Pacific region with 1.6 GW of operational capacity and is also among the top three markets by development pipeline, with 3.1 GW under construction and planned, according to a new report on Wednesday.

The country is emerging as one of Asia Pacific’s most significant growth markets for digital infrastructure, as accelerating AI adoption, hyperscale cloud expansion, and rising enterprise demand continue to reshape global data centre development patterns, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

India’s data centre ecosystem is supported by a multi-market presence, with Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Pune and Bengaluru included among the 107 global markets evaluated.

“The global data centre sector is moving into a more execution-driven phase of growth, where access to power, infrastructure readiness and delivery capability are becoming as important as demand itself,” said Gautam Saraf, Executive Managing Director, Mumbai and New Business, Cushman & Wakefield.

India is well positioned within this shift given its combination of strong demand visibility, expanding development pipeline, and growing multi-market ecosystem across both primary and emerging locations.

“As capacity requirements continue to evolve, markets that can support scalable deployment, reliable infrastructure, and faster execution timelines are expected to see stronger long-term momentum,” Saraf noted.

Mumbai anchors India’s position as a primary market in Asia Pacific and continues to play a central role in regional expansion. The city is identified as one of the fastest-growing markets in the region and is expected to surpass 1 GW of operational capacity by the end of 2026.

Growth is increasingly being supported by secondary markets such as Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi NCR and Pune, which are seeing rising levels of investment and development activity, said the report.

Hyderabad, in particular, is highlighted as the top secondary market in Asia Pacific and ninth globally, underscoring its growing prominence in the data centre landscape.

Bengaluru is positioned as a tertiary data centre market within the regional landscape.

India’s growth is further reinforced by the scale of its long-term expansion pipeline. Over 10.5 GW of capacity remains at the land stage, reflecting strong future development potential as operators continue to secure sites and prepare for sustained demand, said the report.

–IANS

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