Microsoft opens water-free cloud region in Hyderabad to expand AI services

Microsoft formally launched its fourth cloud region in Hyderabad, naming it India South Central, and made it generally available on August 6. The centre relies on air-cooled chillers, eliminating the need for traditional water-based cooling. Puneet Chandok, head of Microsoft India and South Asia, said the site joins three other Indian regions in Pune, Chennai and Mumbai and underscores the country’s growing data-centre footprint, which is projected to rise from roughly 2 GW now to 6-7 GW by 2035 with more than $100 billion in investments.

He added that India is poised to become an AI infrastructure hub for the broader Asian and Global South markets. In a video message, Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith said the new region will provide organizations across India and Asia with greater capacity, resilience and choice. The launch arrives as IDC forecasts India’s public cloud spend to hit $45.7 billion by 2030, with AI spending growing at twice that rate.