Australian data center operator AirTrunk is preparing to set up its next major facility in India as demand for digital infrastructure accelerates with the global rise of artificial intelligence. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Robin Khuda said the plans for India are already at an advanced stage, highlighting the country’s large, digitally active population as a key advantage.
AirTrunk, which was acquired by Blackstone in 2024 for about 24 billion Australian dollars, is expanding its presence across Asia as investors continue to pour money into AI-related technologies such as ChatGPT. The company recently completed a 16 billion Australian dollar refinancing to fund new projects and existing operations in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Calling the AI boom the biggest gold rush in human history, Khuda told a Forbes conference in Sydney that Asia’s growing digital needs could support several large players. He added that the sector will require hundreds of billions of dollars in investment to meet future demand.
The Blackstone–AirTrunk deal remains one of the largest private equity investments in the Asia Pacific region and one of the biggest globally in digital infrastructure. However, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman has warned that the energy needed to power data centers could face shortages, posing a challenge for sustained expansion.
Blackstone is among India’s biggest investors, with over 50 billion dollars in assets under management in the country. Around 40 percent of its investments are in Maharashtra, while more than 20 billion dollars have gone into real estate projects across major cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, the National Capital Region, Chennai, and Kolkata.
