Australian data-centre operator AirTrunk plans to to build a new facility in India to capitalise on the surging demand from the artificial intelligence sector, according to CEO Robin Khuda.

With India’s 1.5 billion population and growing digital economy, AirTrunk sees the country as a key market for expansion. The company, which was acquired by Blackstone in 2024 for A$24 billion, aims to grow its presence in Asia as investors pour billions into AI-driven platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. AirTrunk recently secured A$16 billion in refinancing to support projects across Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The CEO views the AI boom as a global gold rush, forecasting that the data center industry will need hundreds of billions of dollars to meet demand. However, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman raised concerns about the energy needs of expanding data centres, a potential challenge for future growth.