India’s biggest conglomerates are stepping up a push into AI and data infrastructure, with Reliance committing about $110 billion and Adani pledging $100 billion to position the nation as an emerging hub for AI development.
While the sum is modest against the more than $630 billion U.S. tech giants are expected to spend this year, India is offering, opens new tab tax breaks for foreign firms operating from domestic data centres, along with measures to lure more AI talent. “Our resolve is clear: make intelligence as ubiquitous as connectivity,” said billionaire Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance, arguing that cheaper computing will spur innovation.
His company wants to bring to AI the same playbook it used to disrupt the telecom market in 2016 by slashing data prices and expanding access. News of the plans come as top executives gathered in New Delhi for a major summit, amid rising investment from Google, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft in India’s AI and cloud ecosystem.
Reliance and Adani benefit from renewable‑powered data centres, as their own energy assets cut reliance on costly grid power. Putting facilities next to power plants cuts transmission losses and shields them from rising electricity prices. “With their backward integration, renewable‑powered data centres are simply the cheapest option for them in the long run,” said Ambareesh Baliga, an independent market analyst.
