Uttar Pradesh Targets Over 2 GW Additional Data Centre Capacity by 2030, Eyes Leadership in India’s Digital Economy
Uttar Pradesh is setting its sights on becoming one of India’s foremost digital infrastructure hubs, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath outlining an ambitious roadmap to develop more than 2 gigawatts of additional data centre capacity by 2030.
The initiative reflects the state government’s broader vision of positioning Uttar Pradesh at the forefront of the rapidly evolving digital economy, where data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and advanced digital infrastructure are emerging as key drivers of growth and innovation.
During a high-level review meeting of the Uttar Pradesh Data Centre Policy-2021 on Sunday, the Chief Minister emphasised that the future of economic development will increasingly be shaped by data-driven technologies and AI-powered solutions.
He directed officials to formulate a new and more competitive policy framework that aligns with investor expectations, global industry standards, and emerging technological trends.
Yogi Adityanath stressed that the revised policy should be practical, investor-friendly, and future-ready.
He instructed officials to focus on promoting AI-enabled data centres, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable green data centres, world-class digital infrastructure, streamlined approval mechanisms, uninterrupted power supply, and high-quality connectivity.
According to the Chief Minister, these elements will be critical in transforming Uttar Pradesh into the preferred destination for domestic and international data centre investments.
During the presentation, senior officials from the Information Technology and Electronics Department informed the Chief Minister that Uttar Pradesh is expected to account for approximately 8 to 9 per cent of India’s total data centre capacity by 2026.
This projection highlights the state’s growing importance in the country’s digital infrastructure landscape.
Officials noted that under the Data Centre Policy-2021, the state had initially set a target of developing 900 megawatts of data centre capacity while attracting investments worth ₹30,000 crore.
Significant progress has already been achieved towards these objectives. Investment proposals worth over ₹21,342.90 crore have been approved so far, and Letters of Comfort have been issued to investors, paving the way for project implementation.
At present, Uttar Pradesh has six operational data centre parks along with two functioning standalone data centre units.
In addition, projects representing a committed capacity of approximately 644 megawatts are currently under various stages of development.
These facilities are expected to further strengthen the state’s digital ecosystem and support growing demand for data storage and processing services.
Officials also briefed the Chief Minister about ongoing projects being executed by several leading national and international companies.
Major industry players such as the Hiranandani Group, NTT Global Data Centres, Adani Group, ST Telemedia, SKVR Software Solutions, Web Werks, and Sify Technologies are currently developing projects in the state.
These investments are contributing significantly to the expansion of Uttar Pradesh’s digital infrastructure and technology ecosystem.
The meeting also included a review of future investment proposals.
Officials revealed that several domestic and international investors have expressed interest in developing data centres with a combined capacity of approximately 5,410 megawatts across the state.
If realised, these projects could attract investments estimated at nearly ₹4.90 lakh crore, making it one of the largest digital infrastructure investment pipelines in the country.
Among the major investors exploring opportunities in Uttar Pradesh are AM Green, Trifacta Connex, Essar Group, Gru Energy, Golden State Capital, Mapletree, CtrlS and Nxtra by Airtel, among others.
To accommodate these large-scale investments, the government is exploring opportunities across multiple regions rather than concentrating development in a single corridor.
Potential locations include Noida, the Yamuna Expressway Region, Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Meerut and Sitapur, ensuring broader regional development and more balanced economic growth.
Expanding Beyond NCR
During the review meeting, the Chief Minister made it clear that data centre development should not remain concentrated solely in the National Capital Region (NCR).
He advocated for the creation of data centre clusters in other suitable cities and regions of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that digital investments, employment opportunities, and technological advancements reach a wider section of the state’s population.
According to Yogi Adityanath, decentralising data centre investments would not only accelerate regional development but also create new opportunities for local businesses, skilled professionals, and young job seekers across the state.
He emphasised that digital infrastructure should catalyse economic growth in both urban and emerging growth centres.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to make existing incentives more attractive and effective.
He suggested strengthening benefits related to land acquisition, capital subsidies, and credit-linked incentives.
Additionally, he called for enhanced concessions on stamp duty, electricity charges, transmission costs, and wheeling fees to improve the state’s competitiveness in attracting large-scale technology investments.
Recognising the growing importance of artificial intelligence, Yogi Adityanath urged policymakers to create a dedicated incentive framework for high-performance AI computing infrastructure.
He recommended introducing special support mechanisms for data centre parks that establish advanced AI computing facilities in accordance with global standards.
Officials were instructed to consider offering additional benefits and infrastructure support to projects investing in cutting-edge AI technologies, high-capacity computing systems, and next-generation data processing capabilities.
Such initiatives, the Chief Minister said, would help Uttar Pradesh emerge as a major centre for AI innovation, cloud services, and digital transformation in India.
With substantial investments already underway and a robust pipeline of future projects, Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself as a key player in the country’s digital revolution.
The state’s ambitious vision aims not only to strengthen its technological infrastructure but also to create employment, attract global investors, and establish itself as a leading destination for data-driven industries over the coming decade.
