RBI builds data center safe from cross-border threats, seismic risk
What's the story
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has established a highly-secured data center in Odisha, away from potential cross-border threats and high seismic-risk zones. The greenfield facility is located at Info Valley-II, Khordha, and spans 18.55 acres. It will house core computing systems for currency management, payment and settlement operations, and regulatory data functions.
Location advantage
Facility designed with built-in fault tolerance
The Odisha site is strategically located away from India's western and northern borders, minimizing exposure to potential cross-border missile or drone threats. It also falls outside the country's highest seismic risk zones, reducing vulnerability to major earthquake activity. The facility has been designed with a high level of redundancy, resilience, and system availability, incorporating built-in fault tolerance.
Strategic shift
RBI's 2nd data center
The Odisha facility is RBI's second data center, with the primary one located in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Unlike Mumbai and Chennai, which host many of India's data centers, Odisha is not a landing point for major subsea communication cables. This strategic placement could be an attempt by the RBI to insulate its infrastructure from concentrated cyber risks and network vulnerabilities.
Global shift
Central banks worldwide building secured data centers
Central banks and top financial institutions worldwide are increasingly building their own secured data centers. The move is driven by the need for data safety, operational control, and also systemic resilience. For central banks like RBI, a direct control over infrastructure allows stricter enforcement of security protocols, redundancy planning, and regulatory compliance. The Odisha facility has achieved Tier IV certification for the design, underscoring its compliance with the highest standards of reliability and performance.