As India’s digital economy expands, data infrastructure must evolve to meet the rising expectations of performance, reliability, and sustainability. The next phase of growth depends on how efficiently the nation can manage the energy, materials, and resources that power its digital transformation. India is well positioned to become a global benchmark for data infrastructure that is both high-performing and environmentally responsible.
Efficiency is emerging as the defining measure of data infrastructure maturity. The next generation of data centres must scale computing capacity while ensuring energy efficiency and responsible resource use. With advanced storage and processing systems reaching record energy performance, efficiency has become both an operational necessity and a strategic business advantage.
For Indian operators, energy optimisation and intelligent design translate directly into lower operational costs and improved reliability. As power demands rise, energy-efficient infrastructure will play a central role in helping organisations balance performance goals with sustainability commitments.
The principles of circular design are gradually reshaping how technology is developed and deployed. By incorporating recycled and recyclable materials into products, the environmental impact of manufacturing can be significantly reduced. India’s growing focus on sustainable supply chains aligns well with this approach, where technology ecosystems are built to conserve resources across their lifecycle.
Circular thinking extends beyond materials to include refurbishment and reuse strategies that extend the lifespan of existing systems. These practices reduce environmental impact while delivering measurable business value through optimised total cost of ownership.
Modernisation within existing data centres continues to demonstrate how energy and performance improvements can go hand in hand. Upgrades in infrastructure and cooling systems have shown reductions in energy consumption of up to 50% while improving Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) to more efficient levels.
These results highlight the opportunity for Indian operators to adopt innovative technologies and data-driven operations that enable tangible progress toward sustainability goals. With the right planning and implementation, such measures can deliver both immediate cost benefits and long-term environmental value.
India’s digital economy is growing rapidly, driven by data consumption, digital payments, and expanding connectivity. For data centre operators, this creates an opportunity to integrate sustainability into the core of business growth. Many enterprises in India have already demonstrated that technology upgrades can lead to dramatic reductions in rack space, cooling costs, and power consumption while improving overall performance.
This shift illustrates how sustainability can be a driver of competitiveness. It shows that efficiency-focused strategies do not limit expansion but instead make it more resilient and future ready.
Sustainability has become a core design principle rather than an afterthought. The focus is shifting from reactive measures to proactive planning that embeds environmental awareness at every stage of the product and infrastructure lifecycle. Modular systems, intelligent monitoring, and lifecycle advisory approaches are enabling organisations to track usage patterns and optimise systems for maximum efficiency.
By treating sustainability as a core design factor, Indian enterprises can future-proof their infrastructure, reduce waste, and build lasting value for both the business and the environment.
Building sustainable data infrastructure is not a short-term initiative but a continuous evolution. When efficiency, circularity, and lifecycle awareness work in harmony, growth and sustainability reinforce and strengthen one another.
As India’s data economy scales, the decisions made today will determine the long-term resilience of its digital backbone. The path forward is clear. Building data infrastructure that is efficient, circular and intelligent will keep India at the forefront of sustainable digital innovation.
This article is authored by Hemant Tiwari, managing director & vice president, India & SAARC, Hitachi Vantara.