Global digital infrastructure company Equinix announced the expansion of its footprint in India with the establishment of its first International Business Exchange (IBX) data center, CN1, in Chennai. This move aligns with India's vision to become a USD 1 trillion digital economy by 2027-2028, Equinix said in a statement on Tuesday.
Also Read: Equinix to Invest USD 42 Million in New Mumbai Data Center
Equinix CN1 Data Center in Chennai
The CN1 data center, located on nearly 6 acres in Siruseri, Chennai's tech hub, will open in Q4 2024 following an initial investment of USD 65 million. This facility aims to support enterprises and hyperscalers, including AI deployments, fostering innovation and digital transformation in India, the company said.
CN1 will be situated in SIPCOT, Siruseri, 28 kilometers from Chennai's Central Business District and close to future submarine cable landing sites. The four-story facility will ultimately house 4,950 cabinets, with the first phase providing 850 cabinets.
Equinix's Expansion
Equinix said this expansion into Chennai follows its recent launch of the MB4 data center in Mumbai and the upcoming MB3 facility, enhancing its digital infrastructure network in India. Equinix's Mumbai data centers currently host over 300 companies, including major cloud service providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud.
Also Read: Equinix Inks Solar PPA With Sembcorp for Singapore Data Centers
Manoj Paul, Managing Director, Equinix India, commented: "We are witnessing India's growing prominence as a pivotal data center hub in South Asia, driven by strong interest from major global players looking to anchor and expand their operations here, along with Indian enterprises expanding their digital infrastructure to support the growth of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world."
"Equinix has the most hyperconnected data center campus in Mumbai with the largest concentration of cloud on-ramps, telecom service providers, Over-the-top (OTT) media service providers, internet exchanges, and financial ecosystems. The addition of our Chennai data center will further extend this ecosystem to customers in Chennai."
"We are grateful for the support we have received from the Industries and IT Department, Government of Tamil Nadu; SIPCOT; and Guidance Tamil Nadu, which have facilitated our entry into the Chennai market," Manoj added.
Also Read: Equinix Plans USD 94 Million Investment in Third Rio de Janeiro Data Center, Brazil
Sustainability and Renewable Energy
Equinix says its facilities in India, including the upcoming facilities in Chennai and Mumbai, CN1 and MB3, are expected to be 100 percent powered by renewable energy. The company aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, having already reached 96 percent renewable energy coverage globally in 2023.
Equinix Presence
Globally, Equinix operates 260 data centers across 71 metros in 33 countries. In the Asia-Pacific region, Equinix currently has 56 data centers in key metros across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.
