India, Aug. 23 -- India is right to make artificial intelligence (AI) a national priority. However, before the AI infrastructure race accelerates, we need a serious conversation about what it takes to power it. The Ministry of Power, Government of India, estimates that AI data centres could add 26.3 GW of electricity load by 2031-32, which is nearly 7% of India's projected peak demand. That is not merely a tech metric; it is a critical infrastructure question.

AI is expected to shape India's next decade across several sectors, such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and public services. But the question is not whether India should build data centres. It must. The question is where they should be built, how they will be powered, h...