Reliance Industries has announced plans to invest between $12 billion and $15 billion to establish a network of advanced AI-driven data centres across India, underscoring its commitment to strengthening the nation’s digital infrastructure and supporting the government’s vision of an AI-enabled economy. The investment represents one of the largest technology infrastructure commitments in India’s private sector, aimed at powering cloud computing, machine learning, and generative AI applications at scale.
The data centres, to be operated primarily through Reliance Jio Platforms and its technology subsidiaries, will serve as the backbone for the company’s expanding digital ecosystem. They are expected to support high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, AI model training, and enterprise-level data analytics, enabling faster adoption of AI solutions across industries.
According to company officials, the upcoming data centres will leverage advanced cooling and energy-efficient systems, integrating renewable power sources to align with global sustainability standards. The first phase of development will focus on key technology hubs such as Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad, with further expansion planned in Tier 2 cities to enhance nationwide connectivity.
Industry experts note that Reliance’s investment aligns with India’s growing demand for AI infrastructure as enterprises increasingly adopt generative AI, automation, and large-scale data processing tools. The global race for data centre capacity has intensified with cloud service providers and telecom companies seeking to capture a larger share of the fast-growing enterprise cloud market.
Reliance’s expansion will complement its existing technology initiatives, including Jio’s 5G rollout, the company’s cloud partnership with Microsoft Azure, and its recent ventures in AI-based customer solutions. These data centres will also form the technological foundation for emerging business lines, such as AI-powered retail and financial services, under the Jio and Reliance Retail ecosystems.
A Reliance spokesperson emphasized that the company’s objective is to build a robust infrastructure layer capable of supporting India’s transition into a data-driven economy. “Artificial intelligence and high-performance computing will be central to the next decade of growth. Reliance is committed to providing the infrastructure that enables businesses and government institutions to scale AI responsibly and efficiently,” the spokesperson said.
Analysts view this move as part of Reliance’s broader strategy to position itself as a leader in India’s digital transformation journey. By investing heavily in infrastructure that supports AI computation, Reliance aims to capture value across the technology stack—from data storage and cloud services to software and enterprise solutions.
The planned network of AI data centres is expected to cater to both domestic and international clients, offering services in data hosting, AI development, and edge computing. With the growing complexity of AI workloads, these facilities will feature next-generation processors and scalable architectures optimized for AI model training and inference.
According to reports, Reliance’s new facilities will include specialized AI clusters powered by advanced GPUs and custom accelerators to handle generative AI and language model applications. This could place India among the global leaders in AI infrastructure capacity, rivaling existing hubs in Singapore and the United States.
The company is also expected to collaborate with technology partners and global chip manufacturers to integrate hardware optimized for AI training, including Nvidia’s advanced processors and indigenous semiconductor solutions under India’s digital manufacturing initiatives.
In parallel, the investment supports the Indian government’s efforts to make the country a global hub for AI and cloud technology. The initiative complements national programs such as Digital India and the India AI Mission, which aim to democratize access to AI technologies for startups, enterprises, and public institutions.
Reliance’s data centre strategy also dovetails with the broader global trend toward decentralizing data processing to reduce latency and improve security. With increasing emphasis on data sovereignty and local compliance, these centres will enable Indian businesses to store and process data domestically while adhering to regulatory frameworks.
Experts suggest that the company’s infrastructure play could further accelerate AI adoption among India’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which often face challenges in accessing high-performance computing resources. By offering AI infrastructure as a service, Reliance could empower smaller businesses to leverage advanced analytics and automation without heavy capital expenditure.
From a macroeconomic standpoint, this investment highlights how India’s private sector is stepping up to fill critical infrastructure gaps as AI becomes a transformative force in the global economy. The demand for computing power has surged with the rise of AI models, generative tools, and digital-first customer experiences, making large-scale data centres a cornerstone of future growth.
Industry observers expect the first phase of Reliance’s AI data centre network to become operational by 2026, with expansion plans stretching over the next five years. Once completed, the network is projected to handle exabytes of data traffic annually, serving industries such as telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, e-commerce, and financial services.
As India’s digital economy continues to expand, Reliance’s billion-dollar bet on AI infrastructure could reshape the nation’s technology landscape, fostering innovation, job creation, and data-driven development. The project underscores a broader shift in strategy among major corporations, who now view AI not just as a technological tool but as a foundational pillar for national and enterprise growth.
Reliance’s move comes at a time when global technology leaders, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, are expanding their AI and data centre footprints in India. However, Reliance’s homegrown advantage and its established presence in telecommunications, retail, and financial services provide it with a unique ecosystem to scale AI capabilities across both consumer and enterprise sectors.
With this investment, Reliance Industries is positioning itself at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, and innovation, reinforcing India’s emergence as a competitive force in the global AI economy.