Inside the shift to high-density, AI-ready data centres

As AI workloads redefine compute intensity, India’s data centres are no longer passive infrastructure; they are strategic engines of the digital economy. CtrlS’ Vipin Jain explains how power density, cooling innovation, water discipline, and auditable sustainability are shaping the next generation of AI-ready facilities.

India’s data centre landscape is undergoing a structural shift. What was once a backend enabler is now a boardroom priority, driven by AI, hyperscale cloud adoption, and the growing urgency around energy efficiency and sustainability. As rack densities surge and workloads become more heat-intensive, operators are being pushed to rethink everything, from power architecture and cooling strategies to water stewardship and ESG accountability.

CtrlS, long associated with enterprise-grade resilience and Rated-4 reliability, is positioning itself for this new phase of AI density. In this conversation, Vipin Jain, President – Hyperscale Growth, Delivery & Innovation at CtrlS Datacenters, outlines how the company is preparing for ultra-high-density AI workloads while maintaining efficiency, operational discipline, and measurable sustainability outcomes.

High-density readiness: What density ranges are you supporting today, and what design changes are needed as density increases?

CtrlS designs infrastructure to accommodate a wide range of densities, from traditional enterprise environments to hyperscale. Our AI-ready infrastructure supports rack densities ranging from 30 kW to over 100 kW, with advanced configurations up to 250 kW per rack. This allows us to efficiently accommodate AI, HPC, and other compute-intensive workloads. As densities increase, the infrastructure must evolve to maintain uptime and energy efficiency. Our facilities are designed with modular, scalable power and cooling systems that can expand to meet increasing workload demands. The power infrastructure, backup systems, and cooling are tightly integrated to support continuous, high-density AI operations. Built-in redundancy and Rated-4 resilience guarantee uptime, even under heavy, sustained workloads. The primary focus is on flexibility, enabling customers to gradually transition to higher densities without disruption. This ensures that as enterprise requirements evolve, our datacenters can support growth without downtime or performance compromise.

High-density workloads demand integrated power, precision cooling, and resilience that can sustain continuous AI operations.

Cooling roadmap: How are you planning the transition from air optimisation to liquid-ready zones, and what triggers a shift to liquid?

At CtrlS, we design our cooling roadmap with a clear strategy that aligns with evolving workload demands and efficiency goals. Our current operational facilities leverage air‑based cooling and advanced airflow management as the baseline thermal solution, which is effective for moderate rack densities and provides cost‑efficient performance today. When densities exceed the capacity of air-cooling systems, we prepare for more advanced solutions. Our AI-ready infrastructure features modular layouts that accommodate direct liquid cooling, immersion cooling, and traditional air cooling, enabling us to deploy the most suitable solution based on rack power density and workload demands. The move toward liquid cooling is triggered by increases in rack power densities and AI‑driven workloads that push beyond the practical limits of traditional air cooling, as well as by opportunities to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in high‑performance zones. Structuring datacenters as liquid-ready from the design phase ensures operational continuity, enables phased investments, and builds a sustainable, future-proof, high-density infrastructure for our customers and evolving next-generation demands.

Sustainability that customers can audit: How do you validate renewable usage and efficiency claims for customers who must report ESG metrics?

CtrlS ensures transparent, auditable sustainability claims by embedding measurement and third-party validation. It publishes sustainability reports aligned with global frameworks, tracking energy use, PUE improvements, and carbon performance, providing customers with data for their ESG disclosures.

Our facilities hold a range of internationally recognised certifications, including ISO 14001 for environmental management, and have earned LEED Platinum certification as well. This validation backs our environmental and operational claims for customer reports. On the renewable energy front, we have taken concrete steps, such as building GreenVolt1, a captive solar farm in Nagpur, one of India’s first such initiatives, supplying clean power to our campus. We also signed an MoU with NTPC Green Energy to develop up to 2 GW of renewable projects, strengthening our renewable sourcing.

Verified renewable energy use, certified processes, and transparent reporting are now essential for enterprise ESG accountability.

Together with certified processes and transparent sustainability reporting, these efforts allow customers to verify renewable energy claims and efficiency metrics in accordance with international ESG standards, aiding their own reporting requirements.

Water strategy: What is your approach to reducing water stress in cooling without hurting performance in peak summer conditions?

Water management is a critical component of our sustainability and operational strategy. Across our facilities, we prioritise water reuse and recycling through advanced water recycling systems and rainwater harvesting. In Mumbai, we have adopted Recycled Grey Water for cooling tower operations, which reduces dependency on freshwater sources, and ensures operational efficiency & long-term sustainability. By shifting from freshwater to reused water, CtrlS exemplifies ethical resource stewardship. As a result of our practices, at key sites such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Noida and Bengaluru, 70–90% of water is harvested and/or recycled, and we have cumulatively recycled nearly 10 billion litres of water. Instead of increasing freshwater use during high-temperature periods, our approach relies on effective cooling design, reuse, and disciplined operations controls. This approach balances environmental responsibility with operational resilience, particularly for mission-critical and high-density workloads.

Designing data centres as liquid-ready from day one enables seamless scaling without retrofits or operational disruption.

Customer misconceptions: What is the most common misconception enterprises have about “AI data centres”, and what should they understand instead?

AI workloads significantly increase density, power, and cooling demands, the fundamental principles of reliability, uptime, and operational efficiency remain unchanged. Customers need to understand that AI readiness is about how the infrastructure is engineered and operated. Supporting AI workloads requires scalable and resilient power delivery, precision cooling, and flexible design to handle GPUs and accelerators efficiently. The focus remains on mission-critical resilience, cost-effective energy management, and sustainability, rather than simply installing more compute. Proper design ensures that even at high densities, AI workloads run reliably without compromising environmental or operational goals.

manishas@cybermedia.co.in