GENERAL2 Sept 2026
India's Data Centre Gold Rush Comes with Hidden Costs
India's data centre boom is racing ahead, but its hidden costs are mounting. Electricity demand from these facilities is expected to rise from 13 terawatt-hours in 2024 to 57 by 2030, while water use could more than double to 358 billion litres annually. Meanwhile, no central or state policy measures these strains. That leaves grids, water supplies, and consumers exposed as investment races toward $200 billion.
Key Statutory Highlights
- Data centre capacity in India tripled from 520 MW in 2020 to nearly 1.5 GW today, headed for 6.5 GW by 2030.
- Electricity demand from data centres could jump from 13 TWh in 2024 to 57 TWh by 2030.
- India's data centres consumed 150 billion litres of water in 2024-25, projected to exceed 358 billion litres by 2030.
Actionable Advice for Taxpayers / Founders:If you run or use data centres, track state policy changes on power and water disclosure, and factor potential resource limits into expansion decisions.
Statutory Disclaimer: TaxQue Shorts are AI-assisted editorial briefs for compliance awareness. This brief has not passed every source check; confirm the original notification before acting. This does not constitute formal legal or CA counsel.
TaxQue News Desk
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