India’s data centre industry is poised for a sustained period of growth driven by a diverse range of consumer and demographic trends, informs Nxtra by Airtel in association with JLL India. Commenting on this vision, Rajesh Tapadia, CEO, Nxtra by Airtel, says, “The data centre industry is witnessing an exponential growth, given India’s strategic location in the region. Chennai with its host of infrastructure advantages like high internet speeds, availability of submarine cable landing infrastructure, land supply, green energy options, supportive government policies and skilled manpower will emerge as the next data centre hub after Mumbai. As the industry attains infrastructure status, data centre expansion will further accelerate and with it, the inherent need for sustainable measures. Sustainability will be a huge focus and our efforts to reduce carbon footprint will play a big role in India becoming a preferred data centre hub in the Asia Pacific.” The convergence of data protection, strong demand from cloud players, migration from captive to cloud, industry-friendly regulations, government’s digital initiatives, and investments will spearhead the ongoing growth of the data centre industry in India as per the report. Rachit Mohan, Head, Data Centre Advisory, JLL, adds, “India’s digital transformation is expected to create an economic value of US$1 trillion by 2025. Apart from existing sectors, new areas like agriculture, healthcare, logistics, skills market, e-governance and other areas, coupled with advanced technologies, will lead to significant growth of data storage and computing, enabling India to become the backbone and emerge as a global hub.”