C.B. Velayuthan,
chief executive officer (CEO), Digital Connexion
Digital Connexion, a three-way joint venture (JV) involving Brookfield Asset Management, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Digital Realty, entered India’s burgeoning data centre market about four months ago. In an interview with tele.net, C.B. Velayuthan, chief executive officer (CEO), Digital Connexion, talks about the role the company intends to play in this space, its recent initiatives and future growth plans…
How has the data centre market evolved in India? What role does Digital Connexion plan to play in this space?
The global data centre industry is one of the most active industries in the world, having witnessed significant changes over the past 15 years. From the era of telecom, we have now moved into the era of IT infrastructure, with data centres occupying a central position in this revolution. India has experienced quantum digital growth, which is not only interesting from an end-consumer perspective but is also important for the government sector. As a result, India has become an attractive destination for investments. At Digital Connexion, we are excited to be in India at this time, given the growth wave currently under way and the potential for India to become a leader in this space. As a JV of three leading companies, we are optimistic about the opportunities in India.
How do you see the expanding 5G landscape impacting data centre demand in India?
India has always been quick to adopt new and advanced technologies and is known for driving scale. Its 5G implementation is no different and India already has the largest number of subscribers globally. Digital Connexion sees 5G as a vehicle for a telecom revolution. Furthermore, industries can take better advantage of 5G with private 5G or wireless opportunities. OTT players will be able to bring better streaming videos to people wherever they are, while gaming can be offered in a much richer form. With this, a lot of data will be generated, which has to be stored, processed and used intelligently. In this regard, Digital Connexion will have a pivotal role to play.
What are the key projects that the company plans to work on or is currently working on?
Our first project is the state-of-the-art data centre MAA10 with 20 MW IT load located on a 100 MW campus in Chennai and launched in January 2024. The data centre is designed to handle high-powered workloads and accommodate new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Chennai is one of the most important locations for data centres as this is where a lot of submarine cables come in from other countries. This aligns with our vision of creating a connected ecosystem through our Digital Connexion data centre platform.
In 2023, we acquired land in central Mumbai to construct a data centre with 40 MW of IT capacity. This was an exciting step for us. Many enterprises and industries are headquartered in Mumbai and we believe this expansion is the right move for us.
What impact will the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 have on the data centre industry?
The DPDP is an appropriate framework that comes at the right time given that the new technologies generate a vast amount of data. Frameworks such as the DPDP will help regulate data.
What are Digital Connexion’s plans on the sustainability front?
One of our parent companies has prioritised sustainability and aims to achieve the 3Ds: digitalisation, decarbonisation and deglobalisation. These three elements are crucial pieces that contribute to sustainability. Our partners also prioritise sustainability. As energy is one of the biggest inputs in the data centre industry, we are conscious about the kind of energy we use, how we use it, and how we manage it sustainably. Digital Realty has set specific science-based targets for decarbonisation and sustainability globally, with some aggressive goals to be achieved by 2030. Similarly, Brookfield and Reliance are committed to renewable energy. At Digital Connexion, we strive to use renewable energy to power our data centres and build a sustainable future.
What are the future growth strategies for the company?
Digital Connexion is a data centre platform that represents three global leaders and aims to promote a digitally connected ecosystem of hyperscale, cloud providers, enterprises and other industries. In addition, India has a great opportunity to be at the forefront of AI and other upcoming technologies. For us, India is a great growth market and we are looking forward to growing along with the country. Our goal is to become the leader in India’s data centre industry, and we are excited about the possibilities and the opportunity to make an impact.
