MAYASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK9India has achieved a significant milestone by overtaking major countries such as Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, and Korea to become the leader in data center capacity in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China), with a capacity of 950 MW. According to CBRE, India is also projected to have the highest capacity addition, amounting to 850 MW, during the 2024-2026 period, sur-passing other major APAC countries.The sector has seen considerable investments from global operators, real estate developers, and private equity funds, highlighting the growing importance and potential of India's data center market. Henry Chin, Global Head of In-vestor Thought Leadership and Head of Research at CBRE APAC noted that while 2023 was relatively slow for leas-ing due to a global economic slowdown, activity picked up significantly in the fourth quarter, with numerous deals in the pipeline.Following India, Japan has the second-highest data cen-ter capacity at 892 MW, with Australia (773 MW), Singa-pore (718 MW), Hong Kong (613 MW), and Korea (531 MW) trailing behind. In 2023, India added 255 MW of new supply, up from 200 MW in 2022, bringing the total ca-pacity to approximately 1,030 MW by the end of the year. This growth trajectory is expected to continue, with over 330 MW of planned supply in 2024, potentially increasing the stock by 30% annually to around 1,370 MW. Huawei is aggressively revamping its retail strategy in China, aiming to reclaim its position in the premium electronics market. The company is opening flagship stores in major cities, with some located in close proximity to Apple stores, signaling a direct challenge to its American competitor. Notably, Huawei's newly renovated Shanghai store is situated directly across from Apple's flagship store in the bustling shopping district and offers amenities such as a coffee shop and a gym.Between December and February, Huawei launched four flagship stores in key Chinese cities, marking a significant shift from its previous reliance on licensed distributors. This change in strategy comes as Huawei rebounds from the crippling US sanctions imposed in 2019, which had severely impacted its smartphone business. These sanctions had led to a shortage of products, resulting in the closure of many licensed stores across China in 2021.Huawei's efforts to rebuild its market presence include the development of its own chips and the introduction of popular 5G-capable products. The company has also been aggressively recruiting dealers to expand its reach. Amy Chen, a 27-year-old physiotherapist, noted the appealing aesthetics of Huawei's Shanghai store, describing it as brighter compared to the Apple store across the street. Chen recently switched to Huawei's top-end Pura 70 Ultra from the iPhone 15 Pro, seeking better mobile reception. NEWSROOMINDIA SURPASSES AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG AND OTHERS IN TERMS OF DATA CENTER CAPACITYHUAWEI'S FLAGSHIP BLITZ DIRECT THREAT TO APPLE'S DOMINANCE
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