Meta Platforms expanded its partnership with Reliance Industries, agreeing to lease its first AI-enabled data centre in India as part of ambitions to grow its presence in the country.

Meta stated Reliance will build the facility in the Indian state of Gujarat with 168MW of capacity which Meta will use to “scale its AI infrastructure”.

The Facebook-owner explained it is investing aggressively to expand its capacity footprint, and India’s “tech-forward digital economy”, massive user base and the strength of its partnership with Reliance makes it the ideal location.

Reliance has identified Jamnagar, Gujarat as a strategic location, building out one of the largest data centre campuses in the world there, with access to the significant energy resources needed to power AI-enabled infrastructure.

The facility’s first phase will be to deliver 168MW of capacity, with options to scale.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the facility will help the company scale its AI infrastructure globally, “while deepening our long-term investment in India’s economy”.

Chairman and managing director of Reliance, Mukesh Ambani, added that building India’s first built-to-suit AI data centre for a company of Meta’s scale “demonstrates India’s readiness to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution”.

The collaboration builds on a long-standing partnership between the pair, with Meta investing $5.7 billion in Jio Platforms in 2020.

Clean energy
The site will be powered by renewable energy and cooled with desalinated seawater. Meta is set to cover the full cost of supporting the facility.

It has struck a deal for around 1GW of new clean and renewable energy, partnering with domestic companies CleanMax and Fourth Partner Energy.

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