Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday, 9 July 2026, launched the 'Viksit Gujarat Data Center Policy 2026-2029' at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, positioning the state as a global hub for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and next-generation data infrastructure.

Context

CM Patel described the policy as a 'first-of-its-kind dedicated policy' and a 'landmark milestone' for the state. Crediting the initiative to the 'visionary leadership' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he framed the launch as Gujarat's concrete contribution to the national Digital India programme. The announcement was made at Mahatma Mandir, a convention venue in Gandhinagar that has previously hosted major state investment events.

The policy covers the period 2026 to 2029 and specifically targets the development of hyperscale green AI data centres. CM Patel stated that Gujarat's value proposition rests on 'high-speed connectivity, skilled talent, and national leadership in renewable energy.'

Policy Backdrop

The Digital India initiative, launched by PM Modi on 1 July 2015, set out to build nationwide digital infrastructure and expand e-governance. Since then, Indian states have competed actively to attract data-centre investments by bundling land, power, and connectivity incentives into dedicated state-level policies.

Gujarat enters this race with a structural advantage: the state is among India's leaders in both solar and wind energy generation, making it well-suited to power energy-intensive AI workloads through renewable sources. The emphasis on 'green AI data centres' directly addresses the rising power demand that hyperscale computing facilities generate, aligning state industrial ambition with sustainability commitments.

The policy also plugs into the broader Viksit Bharat vision — the national goal of transforming India into a developed economy by 2047. CM Patel explicitly linked the data-centre push to Gujarat's own target of becoming a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047.

Stakeholders and Impact

The policy is aimed squarely at global technology companies, hyperscale cloud operators, and AI developers. CM Patel extended a direct invitation: 'I warmly invite leading global tech companies and innovators to invest in Gujarat and join our journey toward a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047.'

Renewable energy providers stand to benefit as anchor power suppliers to new data-centre campuses. Skilled talent pools in Gujarat's engineering and IT sectors are positioned as a key differentiator, while the state's existing logistics and connectivity infrastructure provides a foundation for hyperscale build-outs. Local construction, real-estate, and ancillary technology service firms are also expected to see downstream activity if major operators commit capital.

What's Next

Attention will now shift to whether leading hyperscale operators — global cloud providers and large AI infrastructure firms — respond to the state's invitation with concrete investment commitments. Any alignment between the Viksit Gujarat Data Center Policy 2026-2029 and forthcoming central government guidelines or production-linked incentive schemes for data infrastructure would significantly amplify its reach.

Gujarat's ability to convert policy intent into signed agreements will be closely watched, particularly as competing states pursue similar strategies. The pace of renewable energy capacity additions in the state will also determine how credibly it can deliver on the 'green data centre' promise at hyperscale.