Adani Group has proposed an investment of Rs 1 trillion to establish a large-scale, 1 gigawatt artificial intelligence data centre in Odisha, marking the biggest investment ever proposed by an Indian company in the country’s data centre sector.
Where is the proposed facility likely to be located?
The conglomerate has sought approximately 250 acres of land from the state government, with Cuttack identified as a possible location, though officials say no final decision has been taken. The proposal is currently under evaluation by the Odisha government, with authorities assessing land availability, power supply, water resources and connectivity requirements.
How significant is this project within India’s data center landscape?
If approved, the facility would rank among India’s largest AI data infrastructure developments, second only to Google’s proposed 1 GW project in Andhra Pradesh. The scale of investment also rivals some of the world’s biggest AI infrastructure projects currently under development in the country.
Is this a standalone investment or a joint venture?
The project is expected to be a standalone Adani Group investment rather than a joint venture, unlike the company’s existing Chennai data center, which operates through a partnership with EdgeConneX. Adani has also sought incentives from the Odisha government, with the proposal set to go before a high-level clearance authority chaired by the chief minister once due diligence is completed.
How does this fit into Adani’s broader AI infrastructure strategy?
The move aligns with Adani Group’s wider commitment to invest USD 100 billion by 2035 in renewable-powered, hyperscale, AI-ready data centres across India. The group is already developing large-scale AI data centre campuses in Visakhapatnam and Noida, alongside additional facilities planned in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad, as part of a broader plan to deploy up to 5 gigawatts of data centre capacity nationally.
What does this mean for Odisha’s industrial positioning?
Traditionally focused on metals and mining, Odisha is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for digital infrastructure, backed by land availability, power capacity, coastal connectivity and policy support. The state already hosts several data centre initiatives, and the Adani proposal follows HCLTech’s recent announcement to set up an AI-optimised data centre in Odisha’s upcoming Sovereign AI Park, being developed in partnership with Sarvam and the state government at an outlay of Rs 14,257 crore.
