by Mansi Rawat
India’s data centre industry is entering a new phase of growth. Driven by cloud adoption, artificial intelligence, digital services and increasing enterprise demand, the country’s operational data centre capacity reached nearly 1.8 GW in H1 2026, with another 3.86 GW of capacity under construction or in the planning pipeline through
2030.
Mumbai continues to be India’s largest data centre market, while Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi NCR are strengthening their positions. New locations are also emerging, including Visakhapatnam for AI-focused investments.
As this footprint expands, the conversation around data centre security also needs to evolve.
Security is no longer simply about protecting a server room. Modern facilities need to consider how people, technology, infrastructure and physical spaces work together to maintain secure and uninterrupted operations.
Why India’s Data Centre Growth Changes the Security Challenge
A growing data centre ecosystem means more facilities, more infrastructure and potentially more people moving through highly controlled environments.
Employees, contractors, visitors, maintenance teams and specialist technicians may all need access to different parts of a facility. At the same time, not every area requires the same level of restriction.
This creates a fundamental challenge: how can data centres maintain strong security while allowing authorised people to move efficiently?
The answer increasingly lies in a layered approach.
Data Centre Security Goes Beyond the Server Room
When people think about data centre security, cybersecurity is often the first consideration. Protecting networks, applications and data from digital threats is essential, but the physical environment supporting those systems also needs protection.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) guidance highlights controls such as restricted physical access, access auditing, surveillance and protection of sensitive infrastructure.
This makes physical security an important part of the wider security strategy.
A data centre may therefore need to consider several layers, including:
- Perimeter and site security
- Controlled building entrances
- Employee and visitor access
- Restricted operational areas
- Server and technical rooms
- Surveillance and monitoring
- Emergency access and evacuation
- Integration with access-control systems
Each layer addresses a different part of the facility’s security requirements.
Why Physical Security Matters as Facilities Scale
As data centre campuses become larger and more complex, controlling who can enter and where they can go, becomes increasingly important.
A single entrance solution may not be appropriate for an entire facility.
For example, a main reception area may experience a high volume of employee and visitor movement and therefore require efficient access control. Further inside the facility, restricted operational areas may require stronger authentication and more controlled passage.
At highly sensitive locations, security portals or mantrap solutions can provide an additional level of control by helping ensure that only authorised individuals enter restricted spaces.
This approach allows security measures to correspond with the sensitivity of each area rather than applying the same level of restriction everywhere.
Balancing Security With Operational Movement
Strong security should not automatically mean slower operations.
Data centres depend on people to maintain power, cooling, IT infrastructure and other critical systems. Technicians and authorised employees need to move through facilities efficiently, sometimes around the clock.
For this reason, entrance control needs to balance security, movement and user experience.
High-flow entrance solutions can help manage authorised movement through reception areas, while more restrictive solutions can be introduced deeper inside a facility where the security requirement is higher.
Gunnebo Entrance Control’s data centre entrance solutions are designed around this principle, with different entrance technologies used according to the security requirements of each area.
Designing Security Into the Data Centre
Security is easier to address when it is considered during the planning and design stage rather than treated as an addition after construction.
Operators and project teams can consider questions such as:
Who needs access?
Different user groups may require different permissions.
Which areas are most sensitive?
Critical infrastructure and restricted technical areas may require stronger physical controls.
How much movement does each entrance handle?
High-traffic areas need to support efficient passage without compromising access control.
How will physical and electronic systems work together?
Entrance control can form part of a wider access-control and monitoring infrastructure.
What happens during an emergency?
Security measures should work alongside emergency procedures and safe evacuation requirements.
Can the system adapt as the facility grows?
As data centres expand, security infrastructure may need to accommodate new buildings, users and access requirements.
What the Next Phase of Data Centre Growth Could Mean for Security
India’s data centre expansion is creating new opportunities for digital infrastructure, but it is also changing the scale and complexity of the environments that need to be protected.
As facilities grow, security strategies will need to consider more than individual doors or server rooms. They will need to address the movement of people across an entire site, with different levels of control applied according to risk and operational requirements.
A layered approach combining digital security with physical security, controlled access, monitoring and appropriate entrance technologies can help create a more comprehensive security strategy.
The objective is not simply to make a data centre harder to enter. It is to ensure that the right people can move through the right areas, while sensitive spaces remain protected.
As India’s data centre footprint continues to expand, that balance will become an increasingly important consideration for operators, developers and security teams.
FAQs
1. Why is data centre security becoming more important in India?
India’s data centre capacity is expanding rapidly, driven by cloud adoption, AI, digital services and enterprise demand. As more infrastructure comes online, operators need security strategies that address both digital and physical risks across increasingly complex facilities.
2. What is physical security in a data centre?
Physical security refers to measures that protect data centre facilities, equipment and restricted areas from unauthorised physical access. It can include perimeter protection, entrance control, access credentials, surveillance and controlled access to sensitive areas.
3. How does access control improve data centre security?
Access control helps ensure that only authorised individuals can enter designated areas. It can also provide records of access activity and help organisations apply different access permissions according to the user’s role or the sensitivity of an area.
4. Why is entrance security important for data centres?
Entrance security creates a controlled point between authorised and unauthorised access. Depending on the location, solutions such as speed gates, turnstiles or security portals can help manage different levels of access while supporting the movement of authorised personnel.
5. How can data centres balance security and efficient movement?
Data centres can match entrance solutions to traffic levels and security requirements. High-flow entrance control can support movement in reception areas, while more controlled solutions can be used for restricted or highly sensitive zones.