Data Centers in India 'Very Strategic' for Hyperscalers and Investors, Says CapitaLand Investment

CapitaLand is building four major data centers in India, taking advantage of what Managing Director Surajit Chatterjee describes as a huge population underserved by digital infrastructure, a supportive government and keen hyperscaler interest in the country. 

In an interview with Cool Vector, Chatterjee details the thesis behind CapitaLand's data center strategy in India as well as the macro conditions he argues make the country a prime destination for digital infrastructure investment. 

Among the key takeaways from the interview:

• CapitaLand is pursuing a large-campus, hyperscaler-first strategy in India, leveraging its real estate and energy expertise, while opening doors for private equity partners in its next growth phase. CapitaLand is planning to introduce LP capital into future phases, offering global investors access to India’s rapidly scaling data center market. "It helps us to have the right mix from a capital pool perspective."

• India’s data center market is at an inflection point, driven by hyperscalers seeking strategic capacity as the country’s digital economy accelerates. Global hyperscalers now account for the majority of India's data center demand, positioning the country as a critical growth market amid rising cloud, AI, and digital services penetration. "The hyperscalers have understood that for them to grow faster in the APAC, India becomes a very strategic location."

• Government reforms—including state-level incentives—have streamlined project approvals, reducing timelines and risk for data center developers. India’s regulatory modernization has created a more predictable environment for investors, enabling faster land acquisition, licensing, and project execution. "The central government took an early strategic step, and they declared this asset class [to be] an infrastructure status, which enabled it to de-align itself from the IT policy of the country."

• Institutional investors see India’s data center sector as a long-term infrastructure play, supported by government initiatives, improving power access, and predictable demand from hyperscalers. Chatterjee emphasized that India’s evolving regulatory and power frameworks, combined with long-term contracts, are giving global investors "comfort that if they look at India, the story is definitely very, very clear and visible for the next eight to 10 years."

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