Australian data-center operator AirTrunk plans to build its next facility in India to meet surging demand from the artificial intelligence boom.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Robin remarked that construction strategies for India are already “quite advanced,” mentioning that the nation's 1.5 billion inhabitants and its digitally engaged youth create a strong market for data infrastructure expansion.

AirTrunk, purchased by Blackstone Inc. last year for A$24 billion ($16 billion), seeks to broaden its presence in Asia as investors invest billions into AI-based platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

In August, reports indicated that the company secured a A$16 billion refinancing to bolster new initiatives and ongoing activities in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Robin states, “This is the largest gold rush in the history of humanity. The demand in Asia is substantial enough to support several competitors, and stated, There won’t be just one victor claiming all the rewards.”

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Khuda projected that the data-center industry will need hundreds of billions of dollars in investment to fulfill upcoming demands. The Blackstone-AirTrunk agreement, completed in 2024, marked the private equity firm's biggest investment in the Asia-Pacific area and ranks among the largest global digital infrastructure purchases.

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Nevertheless, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman recently warned that the electricity required for growing data centers might encounter supply limitations, highlighting a significant obstacle for the industry's forthcoming growth stage.

Blackstone has been one of the biggest investors in India, overseeing more than $50 billion in assets since its market entry. Almost 40 percent of these funds have been directed to Maharashtra, establishing it as a key recipient of Blackstone's investments.

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The company has also taken bold steps in real estate, investing more than $20 billion in the Indian property sector across major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, the National Capital Region, Chennai, and Kolkata.