In Short:
Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio, urged the Indian government to update its 2020 Data Centre Policy to ensure that citizens’ data is stored locally. He emphasized the need for incentives for companies establishing AI and machine learning data centres. Speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2024, he highlighted Jio’s commitment to making AI accessible and affordable for all Indians.
In a recent statement, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, emphasized the urgent need for the Indian government to revitalize its data centre policy to ensure that the data of Indian citizens is stored domestically. Speaking at the inaugural session of the India Mobile Congress 2024 in New Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ambani noted the exponential increase in multilingual data generation in India that is set to drive the AI revolution.
Call for Policy Update
Ambani urged the government to expedite the revision of the 2020 draft of the Data Centre Policy, stating, “We request the government to ensure that Indian data remains within the geography.” He advocated for comprehensive incentives for any company that aims to establish AI and machine learning data centres, including benefits related to power consumption.
Building National AI Infrastructure
Highlighting Jio’s commitment to developing national AI infrastructure, Ambani remarked, “At Jio, we have begun our efforts to bring the benefits of AI to every Indian, just as we did with mobile broadband. We are committed to democratising AI by offering powerful AI models to every Indian at affordable prices.”
Background on Data Centre Policy
In 2020, the Ministry of IT released a draft Data Centre Policy that proposed simplifying single-window clearances for aspiring data centre businesses looking to operate in India. The department is currently working to revive this policy and enhance it with more attractive incentives, considering granting infrastructure status to data centres, akin to sectors such as railways, ports, roads, and power.
Additionally, as reported in August, the policy may include further incentives for companies that set up advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) data centres, which necessitate larger and unified setups at a single location.
