Meta Partners With Reliance to Build First AI Data Centre in India

India’s growing role in the global artificial intelligence race has attracted another major technology investment, with Meta announcing plans to build its first AI-enabled data centre in the country in partnership with Reliance Industries. The facility will come up in Jamnagar, Gujarat, further strengthening India’s position as an emerging AI infrastructure hub.

The upcoming project will initially operate with a capacity of 168 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be completed within the next two years. While Reliance Industries will oversee the construction and infrastructure management of the facility, Meta plans to use the centre to power AI systems supporting Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and future AI-driven services.

"We're proud to be working with Reliance to build our first AI-enabled data center in India. This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India's economy," Zuckerberg said in a statement.

The partnership marks another major step in Meta’s expansion strategy in India, a market increasingly seen as critical for the future of AI because of its vast internet user base, expanding digital economy and rising adoption of AI-powered services.

Under the agreement, Reliance Industries will provide complete end-to-end services for the project. This includes design and construction, utility management, renewable power supply, network connectivity and operational support. The arrangement positions Reliance as a comprehensive infrastructure partner for hyperscale AI facilities in India.

AI data centres require massive computing power to support applications such as chatbots, image generation, recommendation engines and advanced machine learning models. As demand for AI continues to rise globally, technology companies are investing heavily in new data centre infrastructure.

Jamnagar has reportedly been selected due to several strategic advantages, including access to renewable energy resources, strong industrial infrastructure, water availability and proximity to western submarine cable landing stations that support high-speed internet connectivity.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding large AI data centres worldwide is their heavy consumption of electricity and freshwater. To address these environmental concerns, Meta has announced that the Jamnagar facility will run entirely on renewable energy and use desalinated seawater for cooling instead of relying on local freshwater supplies.

To support the clean energy requirements of the project, Meta has secured over 900 MW of renewable energy capacity. Around 837 MW will come from solar and wind projects being developed by CleanMax across Rajasthan and Karnataka. An additional 88 MW will be sourced from renewable energy projects by Fourth Partner Energy in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Meta has also confirmed that it will fully fund the infrastructure required for energy and water management at the site.

Beyond the data centre project, Meta highlighted its broader connectivity plans in India through Project Waterworth, which the company describes as the world’s longest subsea cable system designed to improve internet speed and reliability across connected regions.

The collaboration between Meta and Reliance has been developing for several years. In 2020, Meta invested $5.7 billion in Jio Platforms, one of the largest foreign investments in India’s digital sector. Since then, both companies have worked together on initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses and expanding digital access across the country.

Meta has also increased engagement with Indian developers and enterprises by promoting its open-source AI models, reinforcing its long-term commitment to India’s technology ecosystem.