The Unspoken Truth About Designing Data Centers in India

Everyone wants to build the next hyperscale marvel. But behind the glossy renders and ribbon cuttings lies the gritty, complex, and often chaotic reality of designing data centers in India – especially in the AI era.

What works on paper rarely survives first contact with Indian ground realities.

As someone who’s worked across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and beyond, let me lift the veil on what really goes into designing a modern Indian data center — the challenges no sales deck or global playbook will ever tell you.

TIP: Designing data centers in India? Start by unlearning half of what you were taught.

Unspoken Truth #1: One India, Many Data Center Codes

A harsh reality we’ve faced time and again – India doesn’t have a universal DC design rulebook.

Each state enforces its own set of statutory requirements, fire safety codes, diesel generator (DG) norms, building height regulations, and transformer placement guidelines. What passes scrutiny in Telangana might hit a roadblock in Tamil Nadu or Maharashtra.

We’re often handed global or pan-India design templates with the assumption that they’ll just “plug and play.” They don’t. Instead, we’ve had to redesign, revalidate, and recalibrate our approach for every geography – without compromising on efficiency or uptime.
That localized, state-specific strategy is what has earned us the trust of global hyperscalers.

TIP: One design rarely fits all – customization is key to compliance and speed.

Unspoken Truth #2: AI Workloads Are Redefining Everything – And India Is Playing Catch-Up

Let’s not sugarcoat it: AI is pushing the limits of data center design. Large language models and GPU clusters demand rack densities of 50–100 kW or more, requiring completely reimagined approaches to thermal management and power distribution.

Designing cooling systems that operate reliably in cities where temperatures exceed 40°C – 45°C is no easy task. Traditional air-cooling solutions are no longer sufficient. Instead, the shift is toward advanced liquid cooling, immersion systems, and heat containment solutions — technologies requiring military-grade engineering.

But designing and sourcing these systems while ensuring operational maintainability — especially given current skill gaps – remains a major challenge in the Indian context.

TIP: AI-first designs aren’t just futuristic – they’re already overdue.

Unspoken Truth #3: Power Isn’t Just a Design Element – It’s a Daily Negotiation

Talk to any Indian data center designer, and you’ll hear the same concern: power.

Securing reliable electricity is fraught with complexity — erratic grid quality, inconsistent load sanctions, and bureaucratic delays that can derail project timelines. Local DISCOM priorities often shift with political cycles or elections.

With AI workloads now demanding 50+ MW per data center, relying on grid power alone is no longer viable. Designers must plan for renewable energy integration, battery energy storage systems (BESS), fuel cells, and dual-source power from independent substations. But getting these configurations approved is a political and regulatory maze.

TIP: In India, power isn’t just infrastructure. It’s an influence.

Unspoken Truth #4: Water for Cooling? Good Luck with That.

AI has intensified thermal loads, and water-based cooling has traditionally been the most cost-effective method. But with increasing water scarcity in metro cities like Chennai, Noida, and Bengaluru, the backlash against water-intensive operations is growing.

Regulators and local communities view data centers as “water guzzlers,” compelling designers to innovate. Closed-loop chillers, dry cooling, and greywater reuse systems are becoming the new standard. Rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment are also being integrated into design from day one.

These choices directly impact SLAs, PUEs, WUEs, and sustainability ratings, forcing engineers to balance technical efficiency with environmental realities.

TIP: Your cooling design is only as good as your next water permit.

Unspoken Truth #5: Land is Expensive, Risky – and Vertical is the Only Way Out

In congested metro regions like Mumbai, Noida, or Bengaluru, finding land that checks all the boxes — clear title, fiber access, flood-free, power-proximate — is nearly impossible.

This scarcity drives a fundamental shift in data center architecture: instead of sprawling campuses, Indian data centers are trending upwards rather than outwards.

This vertical approach demands careful consideration of isolated electrical equipment placement, thorough failure analysis, fire hazard mitigation, and seismic restraint supports.

Designers must account for pressure differences across various systems, implement detailed fire zoning, plan safe evacuation routes, and ensure appropriately sized shafts for mechanical and electrical services. Additionally, minimizing distribution losses and ensuring the maintainability of equipment in such multi-level facilities add further complexity to the design process.

And one legal dispute over land use? It could render your best design useless.

TIP: In India, building up is often easier than buying out.

Unspoken Truth #6: Timelines Are Unrealistic. Always.

“Can we go live in 9 months?” Only if logistics, permits, and equipment delivery go perfectly — and they never do.

Import delays, monsoon disruptions, customs holdups, and skilled labor shortages derail even the most meticulously planned schedules. Add to that design bottlenecks due to inexperienced general contractors or slow release of GFC drawings, and you’re left playing catch-up.

Manpower shortages during regional festivals and holidays – especially across a culturally diverse country like India – only add to the unpredictability.

We’ve mitigated this chaos through prefabricated modular construction, early procurement, and local spare-parts hubs. Design and construction monitoring is now non-negotiable from day zero.

TIP: Always add crisis buffers. India doesn’t run on your schedule.

Unspoken Truth #7: ESG Isn’t a PR Line – It’s a Client Mandate

Sustainability used to be a “nice-to-have.” Not anymore.

Clients now demand Scope 1–3 carbon disclosures, real-time energy and water usage metrics, and certifications like LEED Platinum or EDGE Advanced — not just compliance, but leadership.

Designers must now plan for efficient systems, waste heat reuse, equipment recyclability, and modular upgrades. Every component, from lighting to chillers, must align with an overarching ESG roadmap.

This isn’t just greenwashing — it’s future-proofing.

TIP: You don’t just build for uptime anymore. You build for accountability.

Designing data centers in India isn’t just a job.
It’s a test of resilience, creativity, negotiation, and chaos management.
And if you’re not adapting to the local truths — you’re already behind.