Mumbai: Tata Communications Ltd announced on Monday that it will invest ₹4,350 crore (approximately US$400-450 million) to build an "AI Super Highway" in India. The project aims to establish a high-speed, low-latency network fabric connecting key AI data centres across the country.
Project Scope
The company plans to construct approximately 10,000 kilometres of new long-haul fibre across India, creating one of the country's largest AI-ready connectivity networks. This infrastructure will integrate with Tata Communications' global network backbone.
Capacity Expansion
The proposed capacity addition is around 6 Pbps of network capacity. This will significantly increase the existing network capacity of 1.25 Pbps, which currently operates at 70-80% utilisation.
Investment Timeline and Funding
The planned capacity addition is expected to be completed between fiscal years 2030 and 2036. The investment will be funded through operating cash flows, the company said.
Strategic Importance
Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, MD and CEO, Tata Communications, said the company sees an opportunity in India's data centre-to-data centre connectivity, which could grow into a market exceeding US$1 billion over the medium term. Rupesh Chokshi, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Executive Vice President & Global Business Head – Network Services, Tata Communications, noted that the AI economy requires a network built for speed, scale, and resilience.
Phased Rollout
The initial phase of the programme will concentrate on the Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad-Chennai corridor. Subsequent phases will extend connectivity to emerging East Coast and Western India data centre ecosystems, including Vizag, Bhubaneswar, Jamnagar, and GIFT City. The project will link key AI corridors and data centre clusters with international cable landing stations.
Disclaimer: This story is based on company exchange filings and is for informational purposes only. Investors should evaluate risks before making decisions.
