NTT DATA, a global leader in digital business and technology services, has announced a series of major initiatives to strengthen its presence in India. The company is set to launch the Malaysia, India, Singapore Transit (MIST) submarine cable system by June 2025. Spanning 8,100 kilometres, MIST has a massive capacity of over 200 terabits per second (Tbps) and is one of Asiaโs largest subsea cables. It will establish a direct connection between Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Thailand, reinforcing India’s role as a key player in the global digital economy.
This marks a significant milestone as NTT DATAโs first cable system to directly connect India with global networks. The MIST cable was linked to NTT DATAโs Mumbai landing station in February 2023 and to its Chennai landing station in May 2023.
Building Indiaโs largest data centre campus
NTT DATA has also opened its largest data centre campus in India, which will provide more than 500 megawatts (MW) of power when fully operational. The company already runs nearly two-thirds of its data centres in India on renewable energy and aims to transition to 100% renewable energy across all its data centres and operations by 2030.
Designed with advanced infrastructure, the new campus features an underground tunnel for seamless connectivity and innovative cooling technologies, ensuring high efficiency and sustainability. As the worldโs third-largest data centre provider and Indiaโs largest, NTT DATA is expanding its global data centre capacity from over 1,500 MW to beyond 2,000 MW. In India alone, the company plans to add another 400 MW in the coming years. Notably, it is the only provider with over 200 MW of AI load deployed worldwide.
Driving AI innovation and next-generation network technology
NTT DATA is further strengthening its commitment to AI research and development with an expansion of its Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. This facility will focus on AI, digital twin technology, and quantum computing, supporting global companies with cutting-edge AI-driven solutions, including agentic AI. With this expansion, NTT DATA now operates 11 global innovation centres across 11 countries.
Additionally, NTT DATA is implementing its Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) in India. This next-generation All-Photonics Network (APN) technology is being used to interconnect data centres in Mumbai, enabling high-performance data transmission at lower costs. The IOWN network is still in its early stages in India, but the company aims to make it globally available by 2030. The network is designed to handle the surge in AI-driven data demands, which are expected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025โnearly triple the volume recorded in 2020, according to IDC’s “Data Age 2025” report.
Akira Shimada, President and CEO of NTT, emphasised Indiaโs importance to the companyโs global strategy. “India is key in our global strategy, fuelled by its rapid economic and digital expansion. We’re proud to say that NTT DATA has powered the IT infrastructure in India and globally, notably in data centre capacity. Currently, India is one of our top 10 revenue-generating markets,” he said. “We are investing 8 trillion Yen (US$59 billion) globally over five years from FY2023 to FY2027 into growth areas, including data centres and AI.”
Abhijit Dubey, CEO of NTT DATA, Inc., highlighted the companyโs commitment to strengthening India’s digital infrastructure. “We are proud to accelerate India’s digital future with the commissioning of MISTโthe latest milestone in strengthening global digital highways that connect new markets and power AI innovation. Our MIST cable landing at the Gateway of India, Mumbai, truly serves as India’s gateway to the world,” he said. “Our US$3 billion investment in India’s digital infrastructure over the last decade reflects our confidence in the region’s exceptional talent and robust tech ecosystem. We remain committed to expanding our presence and strategic investments in the country, aiming to elevate India to one of our top five markets within the next three years.”
Avinash Joshi, CEO of NTT DATA India, acknowledged India’s growing role as a technology hub. “The Indian economy is currently in a growth phase both as a top market and a hub of innovation, talent and opportunity. Over the years, we have grown through acquisitions and currently have 3,000 clients in India. We will continue to build on this momentum to drive transformation across key industries such as banking, manufacturing, and automotive,” he said. “We are witnessing an era of evolutionary tech and are confident in our ability to robustly meet the demand in the areas of technology solutions, data centres, infrastructure management, and applications.”
These latest investments reaffirm NTT DATAโs commitment to advancing India’s digital transformation, positioning the country at the forefront of global technological innovation.
