Telangana Charting a Bold Vision to Become India’s Next Data Centre and Digital Infrastructure Hub: Mr. Nikhil Chakravarthi J (IA&AS), Commissioner/Director of Industries, Government of Telangana

Hyderabad, May 28, 2026: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) successfully organized the 10th ASSOCHAM Smart Datacenters & Cloud Infrastructure Summit 2026 on the theme “Accelerating Telangana: Powering India’s Digital Economy through Data Centers, AI & Cloud” at Hotel Trident, Hyderabad. During the summit, the Chief Guest, Mr. Nikhil Chakravarthi J (IA&AS), Commissioner/Director of Industries, Government of Telangana reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a future-ready digital infrastructure ecosystem, inviting global investors and industry leaders to partner in accelerating the state’s data centre economy and long-term Vision 2047 growth agenda.

Delivering the Chief Guest address during the inaugural session, Mr. Nikhil Chakravarthi J (IA&AS), Commissioner/Director of Industries, Government of Telangana, said, “We are committed to creating world-class infrastructure, reliable power, sustainable water resources, and a strong innovation ecosystem that enables the growth of the data centre economy in Telangana. Our vision is not just to attract investment, but to build a long-term technology and manufacturing ecosystem that supports India’s digital future.”

The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology experts, and senior government officials to deliberate on the future of India’s digital economy, AI-led infrastructure, cloud adoption, sustainability, and talent development.

Speaking at the summit, Dr. Lovneesh Chanana, Sr. Vice President & Head of Government Affairs (Asia Pacific), SAP Asia Pte Ltd and Chair, ASSOCHAM IT/ITeS Council, said, “Across the industry, the consistent signal is that the centre of gravity is shifting from ‘software as a tool’ to ‘software as a colleague’. We are shifting to the new era of autonomous enterprises. The states and the data centres that host this new AI colleague securely, sustainably, and at scale will capture a disproportionate share of the next decade’s growth. States like Telangana are really positioning themselves to lead it “

Mr. Jatinder Singh Pabla, Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM Data Center Council and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (India), Said, “AI is evolving through a five-phase journey from software-led automation to autonomous enterprises, and India is currently entering the third phase driven by large-scale AI inferencing demand. Telangana’s policy clarity and digital infrastructure readiness position it strongly to lead this next wave of AI and data center growth.”

Mr. Amit Agrawal, President, Techno Digital, remarked, “Telangana is steadily establishing itself as a digital infrastructure powerhouse, and Hyderabad sits at the center of that transformation. What makes the state compelling is not just its enterprise potential but the clarity of its policy direction and its commitment to building a resilient digital economy. We appreciate the leadership of the Government of Telangana and Hon’ble Minister Shri D. Sridhar Babu, and at Techno Digital, we look forward to contributing to this growth by building sustainable, AI-ready data center capacity that will power India’s digital future.”

Mr. Sunny Tathele, Chief Project Officer AdaniConneX said, “AI is no longer just a technology trend; it is foundational infrastructure requiring power, policy, land, energy, and robust digital ecosystems. India, with its renewable energy growth, policy support, and digital scale, is uniquely positioned to power the next global AI revolution.”

Mr. Sharad Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Sify Infinit Spaces Limited and Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM National Datacenter Council, stated, “As we stand at the threshold of the AI era, confronted by evolving geopolitical risks, data sovereignty now ascends to a new level—intellectual sovereignty—which demands self-reliance across every facet. Achieving this requires the collaborative engagement of the entire ecosystem, including operators, contractors, manufacturers, policy makers, and investors. I wish to extend my appreciation to ASSOCHAM for uniting all stakeholders on this distinguished platform, fostering constructive dialogue and shared purpose. Moreover, I gratefully acknowledge the Telangana government’s unwavering resolve and forward-thinking policies that are paving the way for intellectual sovereignty and the vision of a developed India.”

Mr. Chandra Shekar Sarma Garimela, CISO & Director-Compliance, CtrlS, said, “Telangana is uniquely positioned to power India’s digital future. Through visionary leadership and robust infrastructure, we are accelerating data centers, AI, and cloud growth to build a $3 trillion economy by 2047”

Rambabu Boorugu, Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM Telangana State Development Council and Executive Director & CTO, Pranava Group, said, “Hyderabad is uniquely positioned to lead India’s digital economy. With AI, cloud computing, and data centers as its backbone, we must build sustainable infrastructure and strong government support to power future industries and stay ahead globally.”

The summit featured multiple high-level plenary sessions and panel discussions covering themes such as AI for Governance, Green Data Centers & Climate Impact, Cloud & Edge Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Energy Resilience, Skilling for the Digital Economy, and Workforce Readiness for High-Density Infrastructure.

The discussions highlighted Telangana’s emergence as a strategic digital infrastructure hub supported by progressive policy frameworks, robust connectivity, skilled talent availability, and increasing investments in AI-ready and sustainable data center ecosystems.

Furthermore, at the summit, Shri Navin Mittal, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Government of Telangana, during his fireside chat on Energy Resilience for the Digital Age, stated “Telangana recorded nearly 10% growth in peak power demand this year, the state is rapidly strengthening its energy ecosystem to meet the rising needs of industries and AI-driven digital infrastructure. Reliable, scalable, and future-ready power capacity will remain central to sustaining Telangana’s industrial and economic growth momentum.”

Speaking on the occasion, Col. Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM, said that the summit reaffirmed ASSOCHAM’s commitment to strengthening India’s digital economy by fostering collaboration between government, industry, academia, and technology stakeholders to build resilient, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure for the future.