Meta Bets Big on India: Reliance to Build 168 MW AI Data Centre in Jamnagar
Meta bets big on India's AI with a 168 MW facility in Jamnagar. Leveraging Reliance's infrastructure and utilizing renewable energy and desalinated cooling, this project moves India to the forefront of the global AI race.
India’s AI infrastructure race is no longer a distant promise. It is now moving to the ground and Jamnagar is emerging as one of its biggest stages.
Meta Platforms and Reliance Industries are set to build Meta’s first AI-enabled data centre in India, a move that could become a defining moment in the country’s push to position itself as a global hub for AI infrastructure, cloud computing and digital innovation.
The 168 MW facility will be developed by Reliance in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and leased by Meta as part of the tech giant’s aggressive global AI infrastructure expansion.
Reliance-Meta Partnership Enters a New Phase
The latest announcement is the newest chapter in a strategic relationship that began in 2020, when Meta invested over $5.7 billion in Jio Platforms for a 9.99% stake.
Since then, both companies have steadily expanded their collaboration across digital services, connectivity and artificial intelligence.
In August 2025, Reliance Industries and Meta strengthened ties further by creating a $100 million joint venture focused on developing AI solutions for enterprises in India and select international markets.
The new AI data centre project takes the partnership beyond software and AI models into the critical infrastructure layer powering the next generation of artificial intelligence applications.
Meta's First AI Data Centre in India: Key Details
Under the agreement, Reliance will develop a 168 MW AI-ready data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The project is expected to be completed within two years, after which Meta will lease the facility with an option to expand capacity in the future.
Reliance will provide end-to-end services across the project lifecycle, including data centre design and construction, renewable power infrastructure, utility management, network connectivity and managed data centre services.
Meta, meanwhile, will bear the full cost of the energy and water required to operate the facility.
This arrangement allows Meta to rapidly scale AI infrastructure capacity in India while leveraging Reliance’s infrastructure, energy and utility-management capabilities.
Why Jamnagar?
For Reliance and Meta, Jamnagar offers several advantages that make it well-suited for hyperscale AI infrastructure.
- Access to Renewable Energy
The facility will be powered by renewable energy, supporting Meta’s sustainability goals and reducing the environmental footprint of AI workloads.
- Reliable Water Infrastructure
Cooling is one of the biggest operational challenges for AI data centres.
The Jamnagar facility will use desalinated seawater for cooling, providing a scalable water source without adding pressure on freshwater resources.
- Strong Connectivity
Jamnagar’s proximity to India’s western submarine cable landing stations supports stronger global connectivity for Meta’s international infrastructure needs.
- Extensive Fibre Infrastructure
The project will also benefit from Jio’s nationwide fibre network, enabling strong domestic connectivity across India.
Together, these advantages position Jamnagar as an attractive destination for future hyperscale data centre investments.
Meta Expands Renewable Energy Investments in India
Alongside the Jamnagar announcement, Meta revealed new renewable energy partnerships with CleanMax and Fourth Partner Energy.
Together, the agreements will add nearly 1 GW of renewable energy capacity.
India's AI Data Centre Boom Gains Momentum
The Reliance-Meta announcement comes at a time when global technology giants are racing to establish AI infrastructure footprints in India.
Backed by government support for data centres, semiconductor manufacturing, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence, India is increasingly being viewed as one of the world's most important digital infrastructure markets.
Several major players have already announced large-scale commitments.
- Google's $15B AI Hub in Visakhapatnam
In October 2025, Google announced plans to invest $15 billion over five years to build a large-scale AI hub in Visakhapatnam.
Construction began in April 2026 through partnerships with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel.
- OpenAI & Tata Group Partnership
In February 2026, OpenAI partnered with the Tata Group to support AI infrastructure development in India.
OpenAI became the first anchor customer for TCS's HyperVault data centre business, beginning with 100 MW of capacity and targeting as much as 1 GW over time.
- Microsoft's $17.5B Investment
In December 2025, Microsoft committed $17.5 billion through 2029 to expand cloud and AI infrastructure across India.
The investment also covers AI skilling, sovereign-ready cloud capabilities, and digital infrastructure development.
- Amazon's $35B Expansion
Amazon also plans to invest over $35 billion across its India operations by 2030, while AWS has committed about $12.7 billion toward expanding cloud infrastructure in the country.
What this Means for India
For years, India's AI story was centred around talent, startups and software innovation. Today, the conversation is shifting toward something much bigger: the infrastructure required to power the next generation of artificial intelligence.
The Reliance-Meta partnership reflects a broader shift in how global technology companies view India—not just as a large consumer market, but as a strategic destination for AI computing, cloud infrastructure and digital capacity.
As AI models become larger, demand for computing power surges and countries compete for technological leadership, infrastructure will become as important as innovation itself.
Projects like Jamnagar's 168 MW AI facility suggest that India is positioning itself at the centre of that transformation.
For Meta, the investment strengthens a critical piece of its global AI roadmap.
For Reliance, it reinforces its ambitions to become a key enabler of India's digital future.
And for India, it is another sign that the global AI race is no longer being watched from the sidelines. Increasingly, it is being built here.
Market Reaction: Reliance Industries Share Price
Following the announcement, shares of Reliance Industries — India's most valuable company by market capitalisation — climbed over 2% on Wednesday, June 10, reaching ₹1,300 per share and emerging as one of the top contributors to the benchmark indices.
The positive momentum has continued today as well. On Thursday, the stock was trading around 1% higher, reflecting sustained investor optimism following the development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Reliance-Meta AI data centre project?
Reliance Industries will build a 168 MW AI-enabled data centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, which Meta will lease and use to expand its artificial intelligence computing infrastructure in India.
Q. Why is Meta building its first AI data centre in India?
India is one of Meta's largest markets and is rapidly emerging as a global hub for AI infrastructure, digital services, and cloud computing. Local data centre capacity will support Meta's growing AI requirements while strengthening its presence in the country.
Q. Why was Jamnagar selected for the AI data centre?
Jamnagar offers access to renewable energy, desalinated seawater for cooling, proximity to submarine cable landing stations, and connectivity through Jio's fibre network, making it highly suitable for hyperscale AI infrastructure.
Q. How large is the Meta AI data centre in Jamnagar?
The facility will have an initial capacity of 168 megawatts, with the possibility of further expansion in the future.
Q. How does India benefit from the Meta-Reliance partnership?
The project is expected to strengthen India's AI infrastructure, support digital innovation, improve data sovereignty, attract additional technology investments, and create opportunities for enterprises building AI-powered products and services.
Q. Why are Reliance shares rising today?
Reliance Industries (RIL) shares rallied over 2% immediately following the official announcement of its landmark partnership with Meta. Investors are reacting positively to this specific deal because it secures a stable, high-margin, long-term rental income stream from one of the world's largest tech companies.
By locking in Meta as a 100% occupancy tenant for the massive 168 MW facility, Reliance effectively de-risks its massive capital expenditure into digital infrastructure.
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