India Enters the Global AI Infrastructure Race
On June 10, 2026, Meta and Reliance Industries announced a landmark partnership: a 168-megawatt AI-enabled data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat — Meta's first built-to-suit data center project in India. The facility will support Meta's global AI computing requirements and represents one of the largest AI infrastructure investments in South Asia.
The Scale of the Deal
Reliance will construct the facility with 168 MW of initial capacity, with options to expand over time. To put that in perspective, 168 MW is roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 150,000 homes — a clear indicator of the massive computing capacity being planned. The infrastructure can support tens of thousands of AI accelerators and advanced servers required for training and running large AI models.
The facility will run on renewable energy and use desalinated seawater for cooling. Meta will cover the full cost of energy and water supporting the site.
A Partnership Built Over Years
This deal builds on a relationship that started in 2020 when Meta made a $5.7 billion investment in Jio Platforms, Reliance's tech and telecommunications arm. The collaboration deepened through a $100 million joint venture launched last year to develop enterprise AI solutions for customers in India and overseas markets.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, stated: Building India's first built-to-suit data centre for a global technology leader of Meta's scale demonstrates India's readiness to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution.
Mark Zuckerberg added: This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India's economy.
India's AI Infrastructure Boom
The Meta-Reliance deal is part of a much larger wave of AI infrastructure investment pouring into India. Recent announcements include:
- Microsoft: $17.5 billion investment in India by 2029
- Amazon: Additional $35 billion in India by 2030 (total planned: $75 billion)
- Google: $15 billion in Indian AI infrastructure
- OpenAI + Tata: 100 MW data center with plans to scale to 1 GW
India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for AI infrastructure, driven by its large talent pool, competitive energy costs, and government support for digital transformation.
Strategic Location: Jamnagar
Jamnagar is a deliberate choice. Reliance is already developing one of the largest data center campuses in the world at this site, with access to significant energy resources needed to power advanced AI infrastructure. Combined with Meta's Project Waterworth — the world's longest subsea cable system — the facility will deliver industry-leading connectivity to the region.
Why It Matters
As AI models grow increasingly compute-intensive, the demand for robust, high-performance data centers has become the primary bottleneck for tech giants. This partnership not only validates India's growing role as a global technology hub but also highlights the critical importance of localized data center ecosystems. For Meta, having infrastructure closer to one of its largest user bases — hundreds of millions of people using Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp daily in India — means faster, more reliable AI-powered experiences for a massive market.