Reports suggest that Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is poised to establish its inaugural data centre in India, with plans to house it within the Reliance Industries campus in Chennai. According to sources cited in a report by the Economic Times, the data centre aims to bolster localized content generation for Meta platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The deal between Meta and Reliance Industries purportedly took shape following discussions during the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Jamnagar earlier this March. Although the exact value of the deal remains undisclosed, the move signals a significant stride for Meta in expanding its infrastructure footprint in India.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and his wife Priscilla Chan were among the distinguished guests at the gala event in Jamnagar, where talks surrounding the data centre collaboration reportedly gained traction.
Potential Impact on Meta’s Operations
The establishment of a data centre within the Reliance Industries campus is anticipated to revolutionize Meta’s operational landscape in India. Currently, Meta’s data servicing for Indian users is managed through a data centre located in Singapore. However, with the advent of a local data centre, Meta stands to benefit from enhanced data processing capabilities, particularly for localized advertisements.
By operating multiple nodes across various locations within India, Meta aims to streamline data processing, improve user experience, and reduce transmission costs. The potential for faster data processing at local facilities is expected to optimize Meta’s services and drive targeted advertising efforts, ultimately enhancing user engagement across its platforms.
The 10-acre campus situated in Chennai’s Ambattur Industrial Estate represents a strategic collaboration between Brookfield Asset Management, Reliance Industries, and Digital Realty. With a capacity of up to 100-Megawatt (MW) IT load, the campus is well-equipped to support Meta’s robust infrastructure requirements.
Insights from Industry Experts
Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, emphasized the significance of Meta’s move towards establishing greenfield data centres across key regions in India, including Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi NCR. Shah highlighted the potential benefits of localizing user-generated content and advertisements, citing improvements in latency, AI-driven recommendations, and cost savings on data transmission.
As India boasts the largest number of Meta users globally, the localization of content and advertisements aligns with Meta’s strategic objectives to cater to the burgeoning digital audience in the country.
Meta’s foray into establishing a data centre within the Reliance Industries campus signifies a pivotal step towards strengthening its presence in India’s digital ecosystem, promising enhanced services and experiences for millions of users nationwide.
