Green, Fast, and AI-Ready: The Data Centre Formula Digital Connexion Is Betting On

As India’s AI ambitions surge, data centres must evolve beyond legacy models. MAA10 and BOM10 aren’t just data centres, they’re blueprints for how India can scale AI responsibly. In this exclusive conversation with Minu Sirsalewala, Executive Editor, Dataquest, Anbu Shanmugan, COO of Digital Connexion, reveals how the company is building purpose-driven, planet-conscious infrastructure designed not just for AI’s needs today, but for the compliance, connectivity, and sustainability demands of tomorrow.

AI workloads demand significantly higher compute and power density. What are the biggest power and infrastructure challenges you foresee in scaling AI-ready data centres in India, and how is Digital Connexion preparing for them?

Anbu Shanmugan:
AI workloads—especially large-scale training and inference—are fundamentally reshaping data centre design. These dense compute environments call for advanced closed-loop automation and real-time monitoring. At Digital Connexion, our facilities are purpose-built for such needs, integrating next-gen cooling technologies like direct-to-chip and immersion cooling. This helps us ensure optimal thermal management, energy efficiency, and uninterrupted uptime.

MAA10 in Chennai has been positioned as a state-of-the-art AI-ready facility. Could you share how design choices like liquid cooling and zero-water operations are helping balance performance and sustainability?

Anbu Shanmugan:
MAA10 is a purpose-built AI-optimised facility that strikes a fine balance between performance and sustainability. Through PlatformDIGITAL®—Digital Realty’s global platform with 300+ data centres across 25+ countries—enterprises in India can connect with a vast digital ecosystem. MAA10 incorporates advanced cooling systems such as magnetic levitation air-cooled Turbocor chillers, delivering up to 15% energy savings. Additionally, plate heat exchangers with variable frequency drive (VFD) pumps support both air and liquid cooling on the same data hall floor. Most importantly, the site operates with near-zero water usage effectiveness (WUE), significantly minimising water consumption.

Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) remains a critical efficiency metric. What is the current PUE at Digital Connexion’s facilities, and what is the optimal level you’re targeting for AI-intensive operations? What technologies or strategies are enabling these improvements?

Anbu Shanmugan:
You’re right, PUE remains a key industry benchmark. A perfect PUE is 1.0, meaning all energy is used for computing. A PUE of 2.0, however, means half the energy goes to IT and the rest to support infrastructure like cooling. While we don’t disclose exact PUE figures publicly, we’re consistently optimising our energy performance. We deploy high-efficiency transformers, UPS systems, generators, and advanced cooling methods like direct-to-chip and immersion cooling. These technologies allow operation at elevated temperatures, reducing overall energy use. Our IGBC Platinum certification reflects this deep commitment to sustainable and efficient operations.

AI workloads are not just compute-intensive but also network-heavy. How are you addressing the need for high-bandwidth, low-latency interconnects, especially for distributed AI training and inference?

Anbu Shanmugan:
Our data centres are built with AI demands in mind—high throughput, low latency, and scalability are at their core. MAA10 in Chennai offers dense fibre connectivity, access to multiple internet exchanges (IXs), and four fully diverse, carrier-neutral paths. BOM10 in Mumbai, once live, will be strategically located next to India’s largest subsea cable landing station—ideal for large-scale, distributed AI workloads.

Sustainability is becoming a competitive differentiator. How is Digital Connexion ensuring that scalability and ESG commitments go hand-in-hand, especially as enterprises increasingly prioritise green data centre partners?

Anbu Shanmugan:
Sustainability isn’t an afterthought—it’s central to our design, development, and operations. At MAA10, we’ve implemented rainwater harvesting, water recycling for domestic and cooling use, and low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in all cooling systems. Closed-loop automation and efficient equipment ensure ongoing optimisation. Plus, our parent company, Brookfield, gives us access to group captive and renewable energy sources. This sustainability-first model enables our customers to scale with confidence, meeting both business and climate goals.

With growing attention on data localisation and AI regulation in India, how is Digital Connexion futureproofing its infrastructure from a compliance and data sovereignty perspective?

Anbu Shanmugan:
Digital Connexion leverages PlatformDIGITAL® to offer seamless global connectivity while adhering to local data compliance and cloud sovereignty norms. We’re aligned with major certifications—ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 3—and continuously audit and evolve our systems to meet emerging AI governance requirements. This infrastructure is not just secure—it’s adaptable. Our compliance-first approach ensures enterprises can innovate with AI while staying aligned with India’s regulatory frameworks.

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