Microsoft has launched its largest data center in India in the city of Hyderabad. Among the first clients of this new facility are Adani Group and HDFC Bank. This move is part of the company's expansion of infrastructure in the field of artificial intelligence.
The new facility in the South Central India region increases Microsoft's cloud regions in India to four. It complements the existing centers in Mumbai, Chennai, and Pune, strengthening Microsoft's position as the largest cloud computing provider in the country.
The developer of the Windows operating system has invested about $20.5 billion in developing its operations in India. The company is betting on a market with over a billion internet users, as well as one of the deepest reserves of technological talent in the world.
As the company reported, the Microsoft cloud computing division, Azure, has shown double-digit revenue growth in India over the past two years.
Furthermore, Microsoft already operates two data centers in the South Asian country in collaboration with Jio, owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Microsoft's President in India, Puneet Chandok, noted that creating value through AI requires reliable infrastructure located close to where data is stored, teams work, and decisions are made. He added that the new facility is an integral part of this foundation.
Competitors such as Alphabet and Amazon are also actively investing in increasing data center capacities in India, attracted by the large potential for AI users in the country.
However, not all efforts are proceeding smoothly. Environmental activists have accused authorities of fast-tracking the planned Google data center in India without weighing the risks to water supply and wildlife. The government rejects these accusations.
