As demand to cool data centres jumps, India to drive Carrier’s next growth phase: CEO Gitlin

American multinational, Carrier Global, is positioning itself to capture the surge in global data centre investments, with India emerging as a key demand engine, Chairman and CEO David Gitlin told CNBC-TV18.

Gitlin said the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centres and digital infrastructure is creating a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the company, particularly in cooling solutions. He noted that Carrier’s data centre cooling business has seen sharp growth, doubling from $500 million to $1 billion in 2025 and expected to rise further.

“This year, we’ve said it’s going to increase 50% to $1.5 billion, and internally we’re driving to do even better than that,” Gitlin said, adding that the company is already building its order backlog for 2027 and 2028.

India is expected to play a central role in this growth. Gitlin highlighted that the country’s data centre capacity could expand nearly tenfold, driven by investments from global hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Google and AWS, as well as domestic players.

“When you look at this data centre opportunity, one thing Carrier has done is invest in innovation. We now have a complete product portfolio,” he said, pointing to advanced cooling technologies including high-capacity chillers and integrated systems.

The company is also leveraging its engineering base in India to support global innovation. Gitlin said much of Carrier’s digital and AI-driven capabilities are being developed in India, particularly in Hyderabad, where dedicated teams are working on intelligent cooling and energy efficiency solutions tailored for high-density data centres.

India’s broader economic growth is adding to the demand outlook. Gitlin noted that expansion in commercial real estate, healthcare and urban infrastructure is reinforcing long-term growth in climate control solutions.

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Carrier Global, which operates in 160 countries and generates about $22 billion in annual revenue, is investing $100 million to build a new air-conditioner manufacturing facility in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The plant is expected to support both domestic demand and exports, while strengthening the company’s supply chain.

With pressure in the Chinese market, the company is increasingly pivoting towards India, aiming to align its growth strategy with the country’s digital and infrastructure expansion.