In a region already battling shortages, the company chose air cooling after community pushback. Smart move? Maybe. But it highlights a bigger tension: India’s rush to become an AI powerhouse vs. its fragile resources. Google says it’ll generate $688M yearly for the local economy; and each data center job supports 9 more. Still, critics ask: Who really benefits? As global tech giants build faster, India’s smaller towns are caught in the crossfire; chasing growth, but risking water, power, and fairness. The real question isn’t about cooling tech… it’s about who pays the price for progress.