New Delhi, June 24 -- India's artificial intelligence (AI) race is entering a new phase. Until recently, the conversation was mostly about software, skills and innovation. Now it is moving to something far more physical: land, electricity, cooling systems and water.

This shift is visible in the competition among states to attract large data centres. Google's planned $15 billion AI hub in Visakhapatnam and the expansion of Maharashtra's data centre ecosystem show how quickly the foundations of an AI-led digital economy are being built.

But there is a challenge. Data centres are physical infrastructure that need uninterrupted electricity, efficient cooling and secure access to water. In a hotter and more uncertain climate, those requireme...