Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay each rolled a pineapple across the red carpet to unveil CapitaLand’s first data centre in Chennai’s Ambattur Industrial Estate on Oct 15.
The 55-megawatt data centre “is the first digital infrastructure project we have developed”, CapitaLand India Trust CEO Gauri Shankar told the Press Trust of India (PTI) It is also expected to be among the first liquid-cooled data centres, he added.
The Singapore-based diversified real estate group started in Tamil Nadu with the International Tech Park in Taramani, followed by industrial parks, warehousing and hotels in Chennai.
The two heads of state were joined by the Singapore High Commissioner to India Simon Wong and a troupe of musicians who played the nadaswaram and mridangam – two of the more notable traditional instruments in South Indian carnatic music.
“Rolling of pineapples to usher in prosperity to with Nadaswaram music bringing the energy. Appadi podu!” Mr Wong wrote in his post on X (@SGinIndia) after the event and diplomatic visit.
DPM Gan, who is also the Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade), and CM Vijay discussed new industrial investments, technological development and job creation in Tamil Nadu, as reported by Asianet News Tamil.
They also participated in a tree planting ceremony. “From ports to renewables, metro, and now data, Singapore continues to plant deep roots in Tamil Nadu’s future,” Mr Wong said.
DPM Gan’s visit to Chennai is part of his three-day trip to India to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. He was in Delhi on Oct 13 and 14, where he participated in the 2026 Bloomberg New Economy (BNE) Forum and spoke on a panel with India’s Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.
“You can trust Singapore to manage your wealth. This is where the wealthy people want to put their assets,” DPM Gan said to Bloomberg TV.
When asked how Singapore, which seeks to strengthen its position as a global wealth management hub, competes with the likes of Hong Kong and Dubai, he said that Singapore has to work faster and harder.
“Competition is a given. We continue to make sure that our regulations and rules are up to date and facilitate many of these operations for wealth management. We continue to improve ourselves and make sure that we are efficient,” he said.
