In the hyper-connected world of today, data centres work behind the scenes to enable everything from real-time payments and e-commerce to video conferencing and mission-critical enterprise systems. But when they fail to work, the financial implications can be substantial. A single minute of downtime can cost large businesses over $9,000 — that’s over ₹7.5 lakh lost in just sixty seconds, even before accounting for damage to customer trust or brand credibility.

Data centres are the operating rooms of the digital world. And in a world that no longer sleeps, they can’t afford to either.

Data Is Heavy. It Needs Structure.

We often imagine data as something that floats in the cloud. In truth, it lives in machines that hum away in temperature-controlled buildings. These facilities house rows of servers and kilometres of cabling that carry the weight of our digital economy. From start-ups to international tech giants, all digital services depend on a foundation of uninterrupted power, intelligent cooling, secure entry, and fail-safe connectivity.

Even the most advanced software depends on physical systems that must perform 24/7, not just in theory, but under real-world conditions.

Why Uptime Is the Only Number That Matters

There’s one number that defines the success of a data centre: uptime. Some facilities commit to 99.982% uptime. Others aim for 99.995%. That minor difference translates to either hours or just minutes of downtime per year.

The businesses that choose where to place their data don’t just look for availability. They look for trust. And trust isn’t built when things go right. It’s proven when things go wrong and the system holds.

Powering the Promise

Keeping a data centre live takes more than just plugging in servers. The system is designed with multiple levels of backup, with the first being a consistent power source usually drawn from the local electricity grid. Dedicated express feeders reduce the chance of outages, and UPS systems bridge the brief moment before generators kick in. Diesel gensets are often deployed in N+1 or N+N configurations to ensure that if one unit fails, another takes over immediately.

For context, a single 3 MVA generator burns around 700 litres of diesel per hour. Most large data centres operate at least 10 of them. Recently, we oversaw the installation of 35 such units, each delivering 3.5 MVA, totalling over 100 MW of on-demand power in a single location. What made this project successful was the speed and consistency offered through Caterpillar’s world-class manufacturing and GMMCO’s robust last-mile execution.

The Other Half of Continuity

Power keeps the machines running, but cooling keeps them alive.

Servers generate enormous amounts of heat, and without the right systems, performance drops and failure risk rise. Most modern facilities use structured airflow systems like cold and hot aisle containment. In India, where temperatures in summer are extreme, HVAC systems are pushed to their limits. Some projects handling AI or blockchain loads are now adopting liquid cooling and immersion technologies, which means that they require innovations that significantly increase power demand. Supporting such high-density compute environments means larger, more dependable gensets must back the infrastructure from day one. And so, efficiency and resilience become table stakes here.

A Market in Momentum: The India Story

Even though India accounts for 28% of global data generation, we currently hold just 1% of the world’s data centre capacity. But that’s changing rapidly.

As of 2024, India had an operational capacity of 1,150 MW. This is expected to double to 2,100 MW by 2027, supported by ₹45,000 crore in planned investments. By 2030, the market is forecast to cross 3,400 MW, especially across Tier 1 cities, while Tier 2 and 3 cities are seeing rising interest in edge infrastructure.

This growth isn't being fueled solely by hyperscalers. Enterprises in banking, retail, and manufacturing are also constructing their own digital cores, supported by partners that can scale alongside them and help with their infrastructure aspirations for the future.

Why Some Providers Stand Out

What this growth reveals is not just an increase in capacity; it signals a shift in expectations.

With a partnership built on over three decades of collaboration between Gmmco and Caterpillar, we’ve delivered mission-critical systems to data centres, airports, hospitals, industrial campuses, and high-rises across India, all powered by the same shared commitment of supporting our nation’s infrastructure.

Customers want to trust a partner who can manage complexity, adapt to on-site challenges, and get it right the first time. At Gmmco, our strength lies in being involved from the beginning so that every step is synchronised to maximise uptime and performance. Our involvement begins from the pre-engineering phase, where our engineering, design, and estimation teams work hand-in-hand with the sales team to shape the solution for the customer. This is then followed by techno-commercial discussions leading to order collection, procurement, execution, and successful commissioning. Our end-to-end model is also backed by one of India’s largest after-sales networks. So, whether it’s preventive maintenance or breakdown support, Gmmco is equipped to minimise downtime and maximise reliability, no matter where the data centre is located.

The recent example involving a 35-genset deployment was completed within demanding timelines and signed off after multi-level consultant checks. ​​Built locally and tailored for Indian conditions, the deployment benefited from shorter timelines, making it a critical advantage when uptime is non-negotiable.

When Integration Trumps Aggregation

Most projects fail because of disjointed implementation. One company for power. Another for cabling. Yet another for cooling. Though this may divide the workload on paper, it tends to create friction and responsibility gaps in reality. Gmmco resolves this by handling end-to-end turnkey solutions — from supply to installation, testing, commissioning, and statutory approvals — with smooth implementation and single-point responsibility from beginning to end.

We’ve seen the difference and the impact that’s created when one partner owns the outcome. Because we supply the gensets, manage electrical layout, install switchgear, and coordinate UPS commissioning, we can guarantee that delivery is smoother and more seamlessly integrated.

Closing the Gap Between Design and Delivery

Data centres may operate in digital time, but their success depends on physical execution. From deploying megawatt-scale gensets to enabling real-time commissioning, our aim is clear: to ensure data centres stay online through storms, surges, and spikes in demand. And that kind of reliability can’t be automated. At Gmmco, we don’t see this just as an equipment business. It’s a trust business — built, tested, and delivered by people who know what’s at stake.

If you’re designing or upgrading a data centre and need infrastructure partners who offer certainty, our team is here to support you.