India Data Center Growth & Materials Strategy

Context

Client: Industry stakeholder in power/connectivity solutions for data centers
Geography: India
Objective: Build a holistic view of DC growth and segmentation; understand technology, product/solution, and materials usage; and define a roadmap + near-term actions to protect and grow portfolio share while staying technology-neutral.

Scope of work (delivered)

1) DC market metrics & segmentation

• Floor space (sq m) and MW equivalent: last 3 years, base year, 5-year projection.

• Capacity vs. net absorption across major cities; growth drivers/inhibitors; review of supportive policies.

• Segmentation by DC type (Hyperscale, Colocation, Enterprise, Edge/Modular, Cloud/Telco), application (BFSI, Cloud services, Telecom, Healthcare, etc.), configuration (edge vs. core; power-density tiers), and tier rating (I–IV).

2) Stakeholder map & influence

• Identified key stakeholder groups (developers/operators, OEMs, EPC/turnkey, equipment suppliers, consultants, financiers, government/standards bodies, associations).

• Influence–interest matrix, priority targets, recommended industry events and communication channels.

3) Usage intensity & norms (technology-neutral)

• Estimated usage norms by product/application (kg/MW, $/sq m, #/rack etc.).

• Market-level usage norms and 3-year trend (history + projection).

• Drivers of intensity: power density, redundancy design (N/N+1/2N), thermal envelope, sustainability goals, modular/edge architectures.

• Voice-of-industry (targeted interviews): specification practices, reliability/safety concerns, sustainability narratives.

• View on recycled content and circularity expectations.

4) Substitution landscape

• Where alternatives are gaining share; technical, safety, and lifecycle-cost trade-offs.

• Standards/certifications and procurement modes that influence material choice.

5) Competitive & pricing snapshot

• Benchmarks for key product categories; spec-driven vs. price-led zones.

6) Recommendations & areas for intervention

• Summarized insights, awareness gaps, and opportunities; strategy options and priority actions.

Method & sources

• Desk research: public filings, policy/standards docs, industry/analyst reports; paid datasets to ratify estimates.

• Targeted conversations: DC developers, operators, OEMs, EPCs, consultants.

• Structured models: MW/floor-space growth, segment splits, and usage-norm calculations.

Deliverables

A. Research pack – DC market model (MW & floor space) with 5-year forecast, city splits, policy timeline; segment deep-dives.
B. Stakeholder & engagement plan – influence–interest matrix; priority list; events/channels.
C. Materials & substitution analysis – usage-norm tables, trend view, substitution map, risk–opportunity summary.
D. Competitive & pricing snapshot – category benchmarks, procurement modes.
E. Roadmap & 90-day action plan – spec engagement, partnerships, pilots, messaging, metrics.

Illustrations