Equinix, a global data center company, is expanding its presence in both India and Malaysia to support the growing demand for data center services in these regions.
In India, Equinix has announced plans to build a new data center in Mumbai. The facility, named MB4, will have an initial capacity of 350 cabinets, which will later increase to 700 at full build-out. Equinix's MB4 data center will be connected to its existing data centers in Mumbai through its Metro Connect solution, providing efficient connectivity to multiple cloud service providers, network service providers, and other businesses. The availability of MB4 is expected in Q4 2023. In addition to MB4, Equinix is also developing its MB3 data center in Mumbai, which is scheduled to go live in Q2 2024 [20bb5bab].
Equinix has also opened two International Business Exchange (IBX) data centers in Malaysia, with a US$40 million investment. The JH1 facility in Johor offers 500 cabinets and 1,800 square meters of colocation space, while the KL1 facility in Kuala Lumpur is expected to provide 900 cabinets and 2,630 square meters of colocation space once fully built out. These carrier-neutral facilities provide network- and cloud-dense digital infrastructure access to global ecosystems. Equinix's entry in Malaysia aligns with the MyDIGITAL initiative introduced by the Malaysian Government in 2021. The data centers are 100% covered by renewables and operated efficiently with the globally accepted boundaries of the A1A standards. Equinix will provide interconnection and digital services at both locations, including Equinix Internet Access, Equinix Fabric, Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, and Equinix Internet Exchange [1e8a8301].
The expansion of Equinix's data center footprint in India and Malaysia reflects the company's commitment to serving its customers in these regions and meeting the growing demand for data center services. With these new facilities, Equinix aims to provide reliable and efficient connectivity to businesses and support the digital transformation efforts of organizations in India and Malaysia. This strategic expansion underscores the increasing importance of these markets in the global tech arena and their ambitions to boost their digital economies [20bb5bab] [1e8a8301].
In addition to Equinix's expansion, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is also considering setting up its first data center in India to meet the growing demand for its short video feature Reels. The company plans to conduct a feasibility study in the first quarter of 2024. The investment in the project could range between 500-1,200 crore. Instagram Reels, which was rolled out in India in 2020 after the ban on TikTok, has been popular in the country and has filled the void left by TikTok's absence. India is the largest market for Meta's Reels feature [20bb5bab].
Essar's Black Box has also announced plans to expand its presence and workforce in India. The company has set up a Center of Excellence in Bangalore to support its global clients and intends to add 500 new jobs to its Bengaluru center. Black Box serves clients in various sectors, including banking, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and IT/IT-enabled services. The company is also focused on expanding and investing in the US market. Black Box aims to capitalize on the Digital India initiatives and collaborate with businesses to provide digital infrastructure solutions [20bb5bab].