Piyush Goyal Promotes India as Global Data Centre Hub, Highlights Clean Energy and Lower Costs

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has invited US businesses to invest in India’s data centre sector, highlighting clean energy, lower infrastructure costs, affordable data and a skilled workforce.

Piyush Goyal Promotes India as a Global Data Centre Destination

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has presented India as a potential destination for global data centre investments, urging American companies and Indian-American entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in the country's digital infrastructure sector.

Speaking at a community gathering organised by the US Indian Community Foundation in Chicago, Goyal highlighted India's power infrastructure, clean energy availability, comparatively lower costs and large technology talent pool.

India’s National Grid Could Reach 1,000 GW

Goyal highlighted the scale of India's interconnected electricity network as an important factor for data centre operators.

According to the minister, India's national grid currently has an installed capacity of around 520 gigawatts and could expand to 1,000 GW within six to seven years.

He said the interconnected grid can help data centres access reliable electricity and maintain the multiple levels of power redundancy required for continuous operations.

Clean Energy Could Strengthen India’s Data Centre Pitch

Goyal also focused on India's growing clean-energy capacity. He said solar, wind, hydro and nuclear sources account for around 60% of the installed capacity of the 520-GW grid.

According to his projection, the share could rise to 70% by 2033 as overall power capacity expands.

The minister said the availability of renewable and other clean power could be particularly relevant for data centre companies seeking reliable electricity while meeting sustainability targets.

Goyal Highlights Round-the-Clock Clean Power Costs

According to Goyal, companies in India can obtain around 80% guaranteed clean energy around the clock at 7–8 US cents, while a fully clean-energy supply could cost approximately 11–12 cents.

He presented the combination of reliable power, redundancy and clean energy as an advantage for companies evaluating locations for large-scale digital infrastructure. These figures are estimates cited by Goyal in his investment pitch.

Lower Infrastructure Costs Could Attract Investors

Cost competitiveness was another major element of Goyal's presentation. The minister said building data centre infrastructure in India could cost around one-fourth to one-fifth of the comparable cost in the United States or Europe.

He also said data costs in India could be around 5–8% of US prices per gigabyte. Such cost differences, according to Goyal, could strengthen India's proposition for companies looking to expand their digital infrastructure.

India’s Large Technology Talent Pool

Goyal also pointed to India's technology workforce as another factor supporting the country's data centre ambitions.

He said approximately 1.4 million students graduate annually in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The availability of technically trained professionals could support data centre operations as well as the broader AI, cloud computing and digital services ecosystem.

Government Seeks More Data Centre Investment

Goyal's pitch is part of a broader effort to expand India's data centre ecosystem.

In September, the Commerce Ministry said the government was focusing on reliable power, ready-to-use land and streamlined approvals to support expansion in the sector. It also highlighted an investment potential of $200 billion in India's data centre industry.

The government has also previously discussed a target of reaching at least 10 GW of data centre capacity by 2030 as part of India's technology growth strategy.

Goyal Encourages Indian-American Entrepreneurs

During his Chicago address, Goyal encouraged Indian-American entrepreneurs to contribute to India's technology growth through investment, entrepreneurship, technology and knowledge sharing.

He also highlighted the complementary strengths of the two countries, pointing to the US's capital and technology capabilities and India's growing technology ambitions.

India-US Business Engagement Could Expand

Goyal's Chicago visit followed his participation in the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Milwaukee.

During his US visit, he also held discussions with American businesses and investors. He said India could bring a large, multi-sector business delegation to the region, potentially in the first quarter of next year.

India’s Data Centre Opportunity

India's growing digital economy is creating demand for data centres, cloud infrastructure and AI-related computing capacity.

Goyal's latest pitch focuses on four factors: large-scale electricity infrastructure, increasing clean-energy capacity, comparatively lower costs and a substantial technology talent pool.

Whether these advantages translate into larger investments will depend on factors including project economics, power availability, infrastructure readiness, regulatory approvals and the requirements of individual data centre operators.

Conclusion

Piyush Goyal’s pitch highlights India’s growing ambitions to attract global data centre investments by leveraging its expanding power infrastructure, clean-energy capacity, relatively lower costs and large technology talent pool. With rising demand for AI, cloud computing and digital services, these factors could support further development of India’s data centre ecosystem, while investment decisions will ultimately depend on project economics, infrastructure readiness and regulatory conditions.