Microsoft India has expressed its intend to set up its fourth data centre region in Hyderabad, Telangana, to meet the growing demand for public cloud in India. This will be the company’s largest data centre in India and will be among the largest foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the state. This strategic investment is aligned with Microsoft’s commitment to help customers thrive in a cloud and AI-enabled digital economy and will become part of the world’s largest cloud infrastructure.
Customer demand for cloud as a platform for digital transformation, driving economic growth and societal progress across India, is increasing. According to IDC, Microsoft data centre regions in India contributed $9.5 billion revenue to the economy between 2016 and 2020. Beyond GDP impact, the IDC report estimated 1.5 million jobs were added to the economy, including 169,000 new skilled IT jobs.
Commenting on the launch, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, India, said, “Today’s commitment to the people and businesses of India will position the country among the world’s digital leaders. A Microsoft data centre region provides a competitive advantage to our digital economy and is a long-term investment in our country’s potential. The cloud is transforming every industry and sector. The investment in skilling will empower India’s workforce today and into the future.”
The Hyderabad data centre region will be an addition to the existing network of three regions in India across Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. It will offer the entire Microsoft portfolio across the cloud, data solutions, artificial intelligence (AI), productivity tools, and customer relationship management (CRM) with advanced data security, for enterprises, start-ups, developers, education, and government institutions.
To support customer needs for high availability and resiliency, Microsoft launched Azure Availability Zones in December 2021 in its Central India data centre region. This forms the most extensive network of data centres in the country with disaster recovery provisions and coverage of seismic zones.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Trautman, chief growth officer, Wipro, said, “Wipro and Microsoft have been working together for more than two decades to help enterprises drive business growth, enhance customer experience, and provide connected insights. Microsoft’s new data centre in India will help advance our collaboration and drive ongoing innovation for shared client relationships. As Indian enterprises continue to transition and expand their involvement in cloud computing, this facility will provide the critical infrastructure foundation for developers and organizations of all sizes to create new customer experiences, support their business, and harness innovation at scale.”
