Srilanka, Nov. 23 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's Budget speech positioned AI Data Centres (DCs) as a key engine powering Sri Lanka's digital ambition.

This push is backed by a Rs. 500 million allocation and incentives spanning financial, energy, and land. Alongside discussions with global tech firms and plans for a virtual Special Economic Zone, the government aims to capitalise on the AI boom and establish the country as a trusted digital hub.

For a nation rebuilding its economy, DCs offer capital inflows and a stronger digital backbone. Yet they are deceptively resource-intensive, demanding energy, water, and land at a scale rarely acknowledged in policy debates.

In a country highly vulnerable to climate change, and with a s...