Meta to Lease 168 MW AI Data Center from Reliance in India
The Facebook parent will also secure nearly 1 GW of renewable energy as hyperscalers pour billions into Indian infrastructure.
Meta Platforms announced Wednesday it will lease an artificial intelligence-enabled data center with 168 megawatts of capacity from Reliance Industries, the Indian conglomerate controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Reliance will construct the facility in Jamnagar and deliver it within two years, with options for Meta to expand capacity. The deal extends a partnership between the two companies that began in 2020, when Meta invested $5.7 billion in Reliance's Jio Platforms telecom and digital services unit.
"This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India's economy," Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.
Why it matters
India has emerged as a critical battleground for AI infrastructure investment, with $400 billion flowing into the country's AI ecosystem over the past year according to the announcement. The Indian government is actively courting hyperscalers with a 20-year tax exemption for companies that use Indian data centers to service global clients. For Meta, the deal provides cost-efficient capacity in a fast-growing market while diversifying its global infrastructure footprint beyond traditional Western hubs.
Renewable energy commitments
Separately, Meta is partnering with two Indian clean energy providers—CleanMax and Fourth Partner Energy—to secure nearly 1 gigawatt of renewable energy. These projects will span northern and southern Indian states and supply power to Meta's expanding infrastructure in the country.
The renewable energy agreements align with Meta's global commitment to match all operations with 100 percent clean and renewable energy.
India's data center boom
Global brokerage Nomura noted in a June 2 report that India's data center industry is among the fastest-growing worldwide. The firm projects India's data center capacity will reach 7 gigawatts by 2030, driven by cost advantages relative to other developed Asia Pacific and Western markets.
Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani described Meta's investment as a "transformative moment for India's digital infrastructure." Reliance's business empire spans petrochemicals, textiles, mass media, and telecommunications.
The companies expanded their collaboration last year through a joint venture making Meta's open-source AI models available to Indian enterprises and developers.
The details were first reported by CNBC.
This is an original analysis by the Omega editorial team. Source reporting: AI Watch.
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