Meta Puts Gujarat on the Global Data Centre Map With First AI Facility in India

Meta has announced its first artificial intelligence enabled data centre in India, selecting Gujarat as the location for the landmark investment. The project marks a major milestone in the country’s digital infrastructure journey and strengthens Gujarat’s position as an emerging global hub for hyperscale data centres and AI computing.

The new facility will be developed in Jamnagar through a partnership with Reliance Industries, making it Meta’s first data centre investment in India. The AI enabled campus will support Meta’s rapidly expanding portfolio of digital services, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and future artificial intelligence applications serving millions of users across the country.

The project is expected to become one of India’s largest AI enabled data centre developments. The initial phase will feature a capacity of 168 MW, providing advanced computing infrastructure designed to process large scale artificial intelligence workloads while supporting cloud services and digital platforms.

The announcement comes as Gujarat unveiled its new Data Centre Policy 2026-29, aimed at attracting global hyperscale operators and artificial intelligence investments. The policy targets 7.5 GW of data centre capacity and projects investments worth nearly ₹6 lakh crore, positioning the state among India’s leading destinations for digital infrastructure.

Industry experts believe Meta’s decision reflects growing confidence in Gujarat’s infrastructure ecosystem. The state offers reliable power supply, industrial land availability, improving connectivity and investor friendly policies that make it attractive for large scale technology investments. Government plans to establish cable landing stations are also expected to strengthen international data connectivity and improve network resilience.

Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the biggest drivers of global data centre demand. AI applications require significantly greater computing power than conventional cloud services, leading technology companies to invest heavily in specialised infrastructure capable of handling complex machine learning models and massive datasets.

For India, the investment represents more than another data centre project. Large hyperscale facilities generate demand across multiple infrastructure sectors, including power generation, renewable energy, fibre optic networks, cooling systems, construction, engineering and specialised equipment manufacturing.

The project is also expected to create employment opportunities during construction and operations while encouraging suppliers and technology partners to expand their presence in Gujarat. As demand for cloud computing and AI services continues to rise, supporting infrastructure will become increasingly important for maintaining digital reliability and economic growth.

The development aligns with India’s broader ambition to become a global digital economy. Data centres have evolved into critical national infrastructure, supporting financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, manufacturing, government platforms and enterprise cloud applications. Growing investments from global technology companies demonstrate increasing confidence in India’s long term digital potential.

Meta’s entry into India’s data centre landscape could encourage other international technology firms to accelerate their own infrastructure investments. Combined with supportive government policies and rising enterprise demand, the project reinforces Gujarat’s ambition to become one of Asia’s leading destinations for hyperscale digital infrastructure.

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries worldwide, investments such as Meta’s Jamnagar facility highlight how digital infrastructure is becoming as strategically important as transport, logistics and energy networks. The project places Gujarat firmly on the global data centre map while supporting India’s emergence as a major hub for cloud computing and AI infrastructure.