PM Modi opens RBI’s ₹169-crore data centre and cybersecurity institute in Odisha

The Odisha campus combines infrastructure for critical payment systems with cybersecurity training and research, as the Reserve Bank seeks greater resilience, stronger technical capabilities and more reliable digital financial services across the country’s banking sector.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India’s ₹169-crore data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute at Jatni, near Bhubaneswar, on Sunday, October 25. The project brings computing infrastructure and specialised training facilities together to support the security and reliability of India’s financial system.

Located at Info Valley-II, the campus covers 18.55 acres. Its foundation stone was laid on March 22, 2023, by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. The inauguration comes as the central bank seeks to strengthen the infrastructure underpinning an increasingly digital financial sector.

Infrastructure for critical financial systems

According to a government statement, the data centre will accommodate critical payment and settlement systems alongside other important RBI initiatives. It is intended to provide the computing environment required for these functions while supporting the wider delivery of digital financial services.

The stated objectives include improving the accessibility, efficiency and dependability of those services. The facility has been designed to offer secure and resilient computing infrastructure, with scope to scale as requirements evolve across the central bank and the financial sector.

Officials cited the location’s geographical characteristics as an important consideration in selecting the site. According to reports, they said Jatni was chosen for its distance from seismically active areas and international border regions considered vulnerable to security risks.

These considerations are intended to limit exposure to natural disasters and geopolitical vulnerabilities. The choice of location forms part of the project’s broader emphasis on resilience, alongside the technical infrastructure that will support the RBI’s payment, settlement and other technology requirements.

The two facilities therefore bring operational infrastructure and cybersecurity capacity development onto one campus.

Cybersecurity training and research

The accompanying Cybersecurity Training Institute will concentrate on training, research and capacity development in cybersecurity and enterprise technology. Its mandate extends beyond physical infrastructure to strengthening the expertise needed across a financial sector that increasingly depends on digital systems.

By combining a data centre with a dedicated learning institution, the project addresses both computing requirements and professional capabilities. The institute is expected to support the development of cybersecurity knowledge and technical skills relevant to the financial sector’s changing operational needs.

Speaking at the inauguration, Modi linked the next phase of banking development to greater efficiency and reliability. He said the previous decade had focused on extending banking access to people who had remained outside the formal system, while the coming decade would require improvements in service quality.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to protect banking infrastructure against cyberattacks, describing economic security as an increasingly important concern. His remarks placed cybersecurity alongside wider efforts to expand access to dependable financial services.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, Odisha Governor Brajmohan Ram and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the inauguration, along with other senior leaders.