Bhubaneswar, 25 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) new data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Odisha, marking a major addition to the country’s critical financial technology infrastructure.

Spread across 18.55 acres at Info Valley-II in Jatni, the complex has been developed to address the RBI’s growing computing needs and strengthen the technological resilience of India’s financial system. The foundation stone was laid by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 22, 2023.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, Odisha Governor Brajmohan Ram, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, and Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida attended the inauguration.

The data centre will accommodate critical payment and settlement infrastructure as well as other major RBI initiatives. Its enhanced computing capabilities are expected to support the continuity, efficiency and reliability of digital financial services as India’s banking and payments ecosystem becomes increasingly technology-driven.

The facility has been designed around the requirements of security, scalability and operational resilience. Its infrastructure is intended to provide dependable computing support to the central bank while strengthening the wider financial sector’s capacity to manage growing digital demands.

The adjoining Cybersecurity Training Institute will serve as a specialised centre for professional training, research and institutional capacity-building in cybersecurity and enterprise technology. It is expected to help develop the expertise needed to address emerging digital risks and strengthen technological preparedness across the financial sector.

Officials said Jatni was selected for its geographical stability. Its location away from seismically active zones and high-risk international border areas is expected to limit exposure to certain natural and geopolitical risks.

PM Modi arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport at approximately 4.15 pm aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. He travelled by helicopter towards Khurda before continuing by road to the RBI complex.

Security was tightened across the area for the Prime Minister’s visit, with approximately 2,100 police personnel deployed. Traffic restrictions were imposed between 5.40 pm and 6.40 pm on the road connecting the RBI facility and the airport.

Chief Minister Majhi welcomed the project, describing it as another contribution to Odisha’s development. In a social media post, he also noted that the visit marked Modi’s ninth trip to the state since the BJP formed the government in Odisha in 2024.

Majhi said the Jatni complex would be the RBI’s second data centre of its kind, following the facility in Navi Mumbai.

The inauguration comes amid the growing importance of secure digital infrastructure to the functioning of modern financial systems. By expanding computing capacity and establishing a dedicated platform for cybersecurity training and research, the RBI complex is intended to strengthen the technological foundations supporting India’s digital financial services.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar