Western Digital: HDDs to Remain Key for AI Data Centers in India Through 2026
Western Digital has stated that hard disk drives (HDDs) will remain crucial for AI data centers in India, with 80% of storage relying on HDD technology due to their lower total cost of ownership compared to more expensive solid-state drives (SSDs). As India's data center capacity is projected to double by 2026, the company plans to invest over $30 billion to support this growth, emphasizing its commitment to operational stability and channel partnerships following its recent corporate restructuring.

Western Digital asserts that hard disk drives (HDDs) will continue to be essential for various applications in AI data centers in India, with 80% of storage still utilizing HDD technology. The company highlights the lower total cost of ownership (TCO) of HDDs compared to NAND flash-based solid-state drives (SSDs), which are 5x to 10x more expensive per terabyte.
India is expected to double its data center capacity from over 1 gigawatt (GW) to 2GW by 2026, and exceed 8GW by 2030, necessitating over $30 billion in capital expenditure. The firm emphasizes its operational stability and ongoing support for channel partners, following its recent corporate split. Western Digital views India as a critical growth region and plans to invest further in response to market developments, leveraging its engineering capabilities in Bangalore.




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