The Ministry of Investment in the UAE and the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology in the Republic of India have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding, outlining plans for increased cooperation in the digital infrastructure sector.
The focus will be on data centre projects in India, highlighting the commitment of both nations to advance regional and digital connectivity.
Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, the Minister of Investment, and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs of India, signed the MoU on behalf of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. This marks a significant move towards exploring opportunities in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence between the UAE and India.
Under the memorandum, the two countries will collaboratively assess the technical and investment potential for developing data centre projects in India, initially targeting a capacity of up to 2 gigawatts. Additionally, the agreement aims to encourage investments in Digital Public Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, and aspects related to Research & Development and Innovation.
The focus extends to supporting the deployment of a supercomputer cluster in India, assessing the potential development of AI compute capacity of 8 exaflops for government, public, private sectors, and academia use, according to WAM.
The UAE, ranking as the fourth-largest investor in India in 2023, and India, among the top 15 countries globally in data centre capacity, are poised for further collaboration. India’s internet economy is projected to reach $1T by 2030, driven by a preference for digital interactions and policies like data localisation.
The memorandum emphasises fostering strong collaboration by building relationships between public and private organisations in the UAE and India. It also facilitates knowledge exchange, reinforcing the shared vision of leveraging technology for innovation, economic growth, and societal development.
Minister Alsuwaidi remarked, “This memorandum, rooted in the strong historical relationship between our countries, aligns with a shared vision to utilise technology for driving innovation, economic growth, and societal development. It offers India a scalable solution to meet its growing demands through investment facilitation, enabling businesses and industries to adapt more effectively to the future’s needs.”
The Memorandum of Understanding follows the signing of strategic agreements between the Ministry of Investment of the UAE and various Ministries in India in January 2024, covering sectors such as renewable energy, food processing, and healthcare.
