Andaman-Nicobar administration withdraws AI data centre expression of interest

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has withdrawn its expression of interest for establishing a green AI data centre facility in the island territory, according to a notice issued on August 14. The EOI, which was released on August 10, has been scrapped with immediate effect, though no detailed explanation was provided for the reversal.

The original expression of interest had identified six potential locations for the proposed facility: Campbell Bay Sea, Anderson Bay Sea, Vijay Nagar Bay Sea, and Gandhi Nagar Bay Sea in Great Nicobar, as well as Hutbay Sea and Netaji Nagar Sea in Little Andaman. The administration had sought to attract private companies to explore the feasibility of setting up the data centre infrastructure.

The administration had framed the initiative as an opportunity to develop a future-ready, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable digital infrastructure ecosystem. The project was positioned to leverage the strategic geographic location and natural advantages of the islands to establish a competitive AI and data centre vertical.

No further details regarding the withdrawal have been made public. The administration's decision represents a significant shift in its digital infrastructure strategy for the island territory, which has been positioning itself as an emerging hub for technology-driven development projects.