Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing arm of Amazon, has pledged a massive $8.2 billion investment in Maharashtra by 2029-30, signaling a bold expansion of its footprint in India. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the plan on Monday following a meeting with an AWS delegation led by Sandeep Dutta, President of India and South Asia. The investment aims to establish state-of-the-art compute facilities and cloud management services, positioning Maharashtra as a hub for cutting-edge technology.

The announcement underscores AWS’s confidence in India’s burgeoning digital economy. Vaishnaw highlighted the company’s optimism, noting that AWS plans to deploy its latest graphics processing units (GPUs) and advanced infrastructure to meet the growing demand for cloud services. This move builds on AWS’s existing presence in India, where it operates data centers in Mumbai (since 2016) and Hyderabad (since 2022). The Maharashtra project aligns with India’s push for localized cloud storage, a market projected to soar from $8.3 billion in 2023 to $24.2 billion by 2028, according to industry estimates.

Beyond technology, the investment promises a significant economic uplift. Vaishnaw emphasized that AWS intends to create a “substantial number” of jobs over the next few years, boosting employment in Maharashtra and beyond. This comes as part of AWS’s broader $12.7 billion commitment to India by 2030, announced in 2023, targeting the rising appetite for cloud and AI solutions. With Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis championing tech-driven growth, including an AI-focused ‘Innovation City,’ the state is poised to become a cornerstone of India’s digital transformation. AWS’s investment marks a pivotal step in that journey.