Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has urged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to consider setting up a Data Centre Special Economic Zone (DCSEZ) in Mangaluru with policy and institutional support to attract private investment.

Meeting MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan in New Delhi on Tuesday, the MP discussed the potential of Mangaluru as a hub for hosting large-scale data centres and positioning the city as a key player in India’s digital infrastructure growth story. “Globally, data centres are now recognised as critical infrastructure, essential for everything from AI and cloud computing to financial systems and national security. Mangaluru can be a vital node in India’s regionalised data backbone,” Capt. Chowta said.

The MP highlighted Mangaluru’s strategic advantages—a coastal location with low seismic risk, abundant water resources, and proximity to undersea internet cable routes—making it an ideal location for establishing a Cable Landing Station. Such an infrastructure, he said, would improve internet latency and speed for the region while significantly boosting India’s data capacity and security.

India AI Mission

The MP also requested MeitY’s support in bringing initiatives under the India AI Mission to Mangaluru, including the possibility of organising AI Hackathons to identify and nurture local talent. Discussions also covered broader possibilities to develop the city and the surrounding region into a thriving IT and innovation hub, creating jobs, stimulating manufacturing linked to data infrastructure and driving export gains via New Mangalore Port, said a statement.

Capt. Chowta said the initiative is part of his ongoing effort to position Mangaluru as a strategic digital and technology hub in line with national goals.

“In line with enabling IT development beyond Bengaluru and building our region as the Silicon Beach, I shared my vision for Mangaluru as a hub for data centres and discussed bringing India AI Mission initiatives to the city, contributing to PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of a Viksit Bharat. This will also enable and incentivise Mangalureans across the world to come back to Ooru and be a part of the IT wave on our shores,” he noted.