The Adani Group has unveiled a transformative $100 billion investment pledge, marking one of the most ambitious integrated energy-compute initiatives worldwide.

Announced from Ahmedabad, this commitment targets the development of renewable-energy-powered, hyperscale AI-ready data centres by 2035. It positions India at the forefront of what Gautam Adani describes as the 'Intelligence Revolution', a paradigm shift surpassing previous industrial epochs.

This direct infusion of funds is poised to ignite a broader $250 billion AI infrastructure ecosystem. Beyond the initial outlay, it anticipates catalysing an additional $150 billion in investments across server manufacturing, advanced electrical infrastructure, sovereign cloud platforms, and ancillary industries. Such scale underscores Adani's intent to forge a self-reliant technological backbone for India.

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, emphasised the critical nexus of energy and compute in this new era. "Nations that master the symmetry between energy and compute will shape the next decade," he declared. India's unique advantages—vast renewable energy potential, burgeoning digital economy, and strategic geopolitical stance—render it ideally suited to lead, according to Adani.

At the core lies Adani's expansion into a comprehensive five-layer AI stack, encompassing hardware, software, data sovereignty, energy integration, and application ecosystems. This builds directly on AdaniConnex's established 2 GW national data centre footprint, with ambitions to scale to 5 GW. Such capacity would rival global hyperscalers, anchoring India in the AI economy's epicentre.

Key partnerships amplify this vision. A landmark collaboration with Google will birth India's largest gigawatt-scale AI data centre campus in Visakhapatnam, complemented by sites in Noida. Microsoft joins with campuses in Hyderabad and Pune, while discussions advance with other tech giants for nationwide expansion. These alliances not only de-risk the project but also embed cutting-edge expertise.

Adani is deepening ties with Flipkart, evolving their data centre partnership into a second facility tailored for next-generation digital commerce, high-performance computing, and AI-driven workloads. This move signals a ripple effect into e-commerce, logistics, and consumer tech, leveraging Adani's logistics prowess for seamless integration.

The 5 GW platform represents the world's largest integrated data centre architecture, fusing on-site renewable power generation, transmission grids, and hyperscale AI compute. Powered predominantly by Adani's green energy portfolio—solar, wind, and emerging hydrogen—this eliminates reliance on fossil fuels, aligning with India's net-zero ambitions by 2070.

Technologically, the initiative prioritises sovereignty. Hyperscale facilities will host indigenous server production, custom silicon for AI workloads, and sovereign cloud services compliant with data localisation mandates. This counters foreign dominance in cloud infrastructure, fostering homegrown innovation in semiconductors and edge computing.

Economically, the ripple effects are profound. The $250 billion ecosystem could generate millions of jobs in high-skill sectors: chip fabrication, electrical engineering, software development, and green construction. It aligns with India's 'Make in India' ethos, spurring private investment in supply chains from rare earth processing to cooling technologies.

This bolsters India's strategic autonomy amid global tech rivalries. As tensions rise over AI chip access and data control—evident in US-China frictions—Adani's platform offers a neutral, scalable hub for Global South nations. Partnerships with sovereign funds could extend influence across Asia and Africa.

Environmentally, the renewable focus sets a benchmark. Adani's existing 20 GW+ green capacity will expand, with AI-optimised energy management reducing waste. Innovations like liquid cooling and waste-heat recapture for district heating exemplify sustainable hyper scaling, potentially exporting models to water-scarce regions.

Adani's track record in ports, airports, and defence—evident in recent UAV and missile adjuncts—instils confidence. The group's foray into aerospace-adjacent tech, including satellite data centres, hints at orbital extensions for low-latency AI.

Globally, this rivals hyperscalers' capex: AWS and Azure's annual spends hover at $50-60 billion, but Adani's decade-long, integrated play is unmatched in scope. It invites tech majors, sovereign wealth funds like those from UAE or Singapore, and innovators to co-build, democratising AI infrastructure.

By 2035, success could redefine India's GDP contribution from IT services (currently 8%) towards AI leadership, targeting 15-20% via compute exports. This is not mere infrastructure; it is India's bid for cognitive supremacy.

The Adani Group extends an open call: collaborate to erect this edifice of the Intelligence Revolution.

IANS