India needs national data center plan to support AI growth
India's big leap into AI and digital tech is making data centers super important, but they need a lot of power, water, and connectivity.
Right now, the country has about 1.5 gigawatts of capacity, but demand could jump to 7 gigawatts by 2030.
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, says India needs a national plan to build more data centers and make sure resources keep up with tech growth.
Experts propose renewables and treated wastewater
Data centers are cheap to build here and have good cable connections, but their massive energy and water needs are causing worries in cities like Visakhapatnam and Thane.
Experts suggest using renewables, smarter cooling systems, and treated wastewater to help.
Coordinated planning will be crucial if India wants its AI ambitions to pay off sustainably.