Key Points
- TCG subsidiary Cortex DC plans 2 GW data centre capacity across India
- First facility targeted for operational readiness within 18 months of construction start
- Company commits to sourcing 51 per cent of energy from renewable sources
The Chatterjee Group (TCG), a New York-headquartered private equity and industrial holding group, has launched a data centre subsidiary that plans to develop 2 GW of capacity across India to serve hyperscalers, cloud service providers and advanced artificial intelligence workloads.
The new entity, Cortex DC, is targeting operational readiness for its first data centre within 18 months of breaking ground, according to the company. The platform has been under development for several months, with site selection, power procurement and partner arrangements already under way, the company said.
Cortex DC said it plans to source 51 per cent of its energy from green sources, building renewable energy into its infrastructure from the outset. The company is positioning itself to serve both domestic and international customers seeking high-performance computing infrastructure in India.
Purnendu Chatterjee, founder and chairman, TCG, said the investment reflects the group’s view that computing infrastructure will play a foundational role in economic growth.
“Every economic era is built on a foundation. The Industrial Age rested on steel and energy; the Intelligence Age will rest on compute,” Chatterjee said. “For three decades, TCG has built knowledge-based businesses through strategic long-term investments, with an overriding focus on value creation. Cortex DC extends that philosophy to the digital backbone of the Intelligence Age.”
Leadership and governance
Rahul Sharma has been appointed chief executive officer of Cortex DC. Sharma brings over 25 years of experience across engineering, construction and digital infrastructure, including involvement in gigawatt-scale data centre projects across India, the company said.
“Cortex DC is being built in India for the globe, set up to serve both local and global customers,” Sharma said. “It aims to deliver the scale, resilience, power availability and connectivity that international enterprises, cloud service providers and AI innovators demand.”
The subsidiary’s supervisory board is chaired by Vinayak Pai, who has more than 30 years of global engineering and project execution experience, according to the company. Board members include senior TCG leaders Samik Mukherjee, Jeremy Ghose, Debu Bhattacharya and Sujoy Choudhury.
“Every major leap in economic growth has been carried by infrastructure, from railways and ports to the internet. AI is the next such layer, and India has the talent, the market and the ambition to lead it,” Pai said.
By the numbers
Key figures from this story- 2 GW
- Planned data centre capacity across India
- 18 months
- Target timeline for first facility
- 51%
- Energy to be sourced from renewables
The announcement comes as demand for data centre capacity in India continues to grow, driven by increasing cloud adoption and the emergence of AI workloads that require substantial computing power. Hyperscale operators and cloud service providers have been expanding their presence in the country, with several facilities under construction or recently commissioned in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Cortex DC said its projects are expected to contribute to regional economic activity through employment in construction, engineering, supply chains, facility operations and associated services.
TCG, founded in 1989, has deployed over $4 billion in capital across petrochemicals, life sciences, technology, financial services and real estate, with operations spanning North America, Europe and Asia, the company said. The group also funds TCG CREST, a non-profit research initiative focused on quantum computing, neuroscience and sustainable energy.
Your Questions, Answered
What is Cortex DC and who owns it?
Cortex DC is a data centre subsidiary of The Chatterjee Group, a New York-headquartered private equity and industrial holding group. It was launched to develop data centre infrastructure in India for hyperscalers, cloud providers and AI workloads.
How much data centre capacity does Cortex DC plan to build?
The company plans to develop 2 GW of data centre capacity across India. It is targeting operational readiness for its first facility within 18 months of construction start.
What is Cortex DC's renewable energy commitment?
Cortex DC has committed to sourcing 51 per cent of its energy from green sources, building renewable energy into its infrastructure strategy from the outset.
Who is leading Cortex DC?
Rahul Sharma has been appointed chief executive officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in engineering, construction and digital infrastructure. The supervisory board is chaired by Vinayak Pai.
