Full Breakdown
AirTrunk Announces $30 B AI-Ready Data Centre Drive in India
6/8/2026, 12:07:40 PM
Background & Context
Sydney-based hyperscale operator AirTrunk, founded in 2015 by Robin Khuda, was acquired by Blackstone and CPP Investments (CPPIB) in December 2024. The firm now operates data centres in Australia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India. In April 2026 AirTrunk entered the Indian market by acquiring Lumina CloudInfra, securing a 600 MW pipeline of projects in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Concurrently, the Indian government introduced a zero-tax regime for foreign cloud providers on services sold abroad until 2047, conditional on workloads being run from Indian data centres.
Core Investment Plan
AirTrunk will invest over INR3 trillion (? $30 billion) in India through 2030, targeting more than 5 GW of AI-ready hyperscale data-centre capacity. A flagship 3 GW facility is planned at the Raigad Pen Growth Center in Maharashtra, with an earmarked investment of roughly INR2 trillion (? $21 billion). The remaining capacity is expected to be distributed across additional sites in other states and union territories, though precise locations have not been disclosed.
Key Figures & Stakeholders
- Robin Khuda – CEO, AirTrunk
- Devendra Fadnavis – Chief Minister, Maharashtra
- Narendra Modi – Prime Minister of India
- Blackstone – Private-equity backer
- CPP Investments (CPPIB) – Co-investor
- Lumina CloudInfra – Acquired Indian cloud-infrastructure firm
Timeline of Milestones
- April 2026 – AirTrunk acquires Lumina CloudInfra, gaining a 600 MW pipeline.
- June 2026 – CEO Robin Khuda meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and federal officials in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
- June 2026 – Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis signs letters of intent for land at Raigad Pen Growth Center.
- 2030 (target) – Completion of >5 GW AI-ready data-centre capacity across India.
Data & Statistics
- Total investment: INR3 trillion ($30 billion)
- Planned capacity: >5 GW AI-ready hyperscale data centres
- Raigad project: 3 GW, INR2 trillion ($21 billion)
- Existing pipeline from Lumina acquisition: 600 MW in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad
- Zero-tax incentive: No taxes on foreign cloud services sold abroad until 2047, contingent on Indian-based workloads.
Official Statements & Responses
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the exchange of letters of intent for land allocation at the Raigad Pen Growth Center, signalling state support for the project.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda to discuss accelerating cloud and AI infrastructure, emphasizing access to electricity, renewable energy, water supply, workforce training and streamlined approvals.
- The Indian government’s policy brief outlined a zero-tax regime for foreign cloud providers, conditional on operating workloads from Indian data centres, to attract large-scale investment.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
AirTrunk has not clarified whether the 3 GW Raigad facility will constitute the bulk of the 5 GW target or if additional sites will collectively provide the remaining capacity. The precise geographic distribution of the non-Raigad sites remains undisclosed, leaving a gap in the public understanding of the full rollout plan.
Why It Matters
The investment is described as one of the largest digital-infrastructure commitments in India’s history, poised to expand AI computing power, create jobs and reinforce India’s role in global cloud services. By coupling the rollout with renewable-energy sourcing and subsea-cable access, AirTrunk aims to deliver sustainable, high-performance infrastructure for domestic and international cloud providers.
What’s Next
AirTrunk will seek regulatory clearances for the Raigad project, finalize site selections for additional facilities, and implement renewable-energy contracts to meet sustainability goals. Ongoing workforce-training initiatives and coordination
