Data centres, artificial intelligence find mentions in PM Modi's speech at Red Fort
PM Modi Red Fort speechThese remarks from the prime minister come as part of India's push for energy security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his 13th address to the nation on Independence Day, acknowledged the growing importance of data centres and artificial intelligence. Speaking from the Red Fort in New Delhi, he emphasized that the world's future will rely heavily on energy, and thus, sectors like chips, AI, and data centres will require substantial electricity.
India's energy security is a key focus, and the prime minister also highlighted an AI Summit held earlier this year. The country aims to train one crore youths in AI skills. Data centres are already present in various Indian cities such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Jamnagar, with installed capacity growing from 375 MW in 2020 to about 1575 MW.
The ministry expects further expansion in states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal. However, protests against data centres and AI construction are emerging in India, with citizens in Thane and Visakhapatnam arguing that these projects could exacerbate existing pressures on land, electricity, and water resources.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
