RBI sets up high-security data centre in Odisha to safeguard core systems

Metro India News | NEW DELHI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has established a high-security greenfield data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, aimed at strengthening protection of the country’s critical financial infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted operations of key systems.

The 18.55-acre campus at Info Valley-II in Khordha district was initiated in 2023. Strategically located away from India’s western and northern borders, the facility reduces exposure to potential cross-border missile or drone threats. It is also situated outside the country’s highest seismic risk zones, lowering vulnerability to major earthquakes.

The new centre will host core computing systems that support currency management, payment and settlement operations, and regulatory data functions of the central bank. Analysts note that the choice of Odisha offers strategic depth and reduces concentration of sensitive infrastructure in high-risk corridors.

Unlike Mumbai and Chennai, which serve as major hubs for subsea communication cable landings and dense digital traffic, Odisha is relatively insulated from such clusters. Experts believe this reduces exposure to concentrated cyber risks and network vulnerabilities.

This is RBI’s second data centre. Its primary data centre is located in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. The Odisha facility has achieved Tier IV certification, indicating the highest standards of redundancy, resilience and system availability, with in-built fault tolerance mechanisms.

Globally, central banks are increasingly investing in their own secured data centres to retain tighter control over financial data, reduce reliance on third-party infrastructure and strengthen systemic resilience. In India, institutions such as SEBI and SBI are also building dedicated data facilities.