Blackstone, CPPIB-backed AirTrunk to invest over $30 bn in India’s data centres by 2030

Mumbai: AirTrunk, backed by Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), plans to invest more than $30 billion in India by 2030 to expand its digital infrastructure capacity and position the country as the cornerstone of its global growth strategy, the company said on Friday.

The program will be among the biggest digital infrastructure bets currently on the table in India and represents one of AirTrunk’s most significant long-term market commitments.

The multi-state pipeline will support India’s drive to become a global hub for AI and cloud investment, while also creating jobs and employment. economic growth.

AirTrunk is a leading hyperscale data center specialist, delivering the infrastructure needed to scale Asia-Pacific and West Asia’s cloud and technology-accelerated digital future. artificial intelligence. In 2024, Blackstone and CPPIB acquired AirTrunk, investing alongside AirTrunk founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Robin Khuda, valuing the company at over A$24 billion.

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The growing data center platform offers customers a scalable data center solution at a significantly lower cost to build and operate than market. Private company well capitalized to finance hyperscale development Cross-regional data centers, including sustainable financing platform.

AirTrunk’s latest announcement follows Khuda’s first high-profile government engagement program in India since the company entered the market with the acquisition of Lumina CloudInfra in April. Thanks to this acquisition, the company’s current development pipeline in India covers 600 MW across Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

“Capital is mobile and India is creating the conditions for it to thrive. India is taking a top-down approach to AI, with clear government-led initiatives, a world-class talent pool and huge availability of renewable energy. We were bullish on India before entering the market through Lumina,” Khuda said.

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“Following our discussions with government leaders this week, we want to double down on this commitment. We have heard a clear message that India is open to investment and is committed to competing for next-generation AI and cloud infrastructure that will transform India’s industries and economy for generations to come,” he added.

Jobs and local economy

During his visit, he met government representatives and ministers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to discuss how the government and industry can work together to accelerate cloud and investments. Artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The two sides discussed energy access, clean energy, water availability, talent pipelines, faster approvals and better coordination on infrastructure between state and Union governments.

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Overall, digital infrastructure is becoming as important to economic growth as the roads, ports and energy networks of previous generations, and as the adoption of AI accelerates, countries with the right tools will be in the best position to attract investment, innovation and high-value jobs.

Additionally, AirTrunk’s investment in 5 GW of new data center capacity underpins significant local economic opportunities. Each major project supports tens of thousands of local jobs throughout development, construction and operation, while also attracting investments in cloud, AI and technology that increase long-term productivity and economic growth. This impact extends beyond project boundaries through localization of supply chain operations and interaction with local businesses.