Overview
- In written replies to Parliament on Aug. 5–6, ministers reported that India’s data‑centre capacity rose from about 375 MW in 2020 to roughly 1,575 MW today, driven largely by AI and high‑performance computing demand.
- The Centre said AI data centres do not automatically need Environmental Clearance under the 2006 EIA rules and explained that clearance is required only when a facility is part of very large building or township projects that cross specific size thresholds.
- Authorities pointed to BIS and BEE technical standards, adoption of advanced cooling methods such as direct‑to‑chip and immersion cooling, and BEE district cooling guidance as ways to cut energy and water intensity, but they did not state mandatory compliance dates or audit plans.
- The government highlighted renewable energy schemes and the new SHANTI Act to broaden low‑carbon power options for data centres, but it gave no quantified figures for current electricity or water use or for how much clean power will meet future demand.
- Independent studies and mappings warn of faster growth and local strain, with projections to multiple gigawatts by 2030 and more than half of centres located in water‑stressed watersheds, raising risks for local water supplies, grid reliability and community pushback.