Desk Report
Prime Minister Narendra Modi packed three major engagements into a single Sunday on 25 October 2026. The day began in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, with the inauguration of a garment manufacturing unit. It continued at Namo Ghat, where the Prime Minister watched the Indian Air Force’s aerial display as chief guest. By evening, Modi was in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, inaugurating the Reserve Bank of India’s new data centre and cybersecurity training institute. Industry, military strength and digital financial infrastructure — all three themes came together in one day’s programme.
RBI data centre inaugurated in Bhubaneswar
In the evening, the Prime Minister inaugurated the RBI’s Rs 169-crore data centre and cybersecurity training institute in Bhubaneswar. The facility is spread across 18.55 acres at Info Valley-II in Jatni, in Khordha district. Its foundation stone was laid in March 2023 by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, and after more than three years of construction, the centre is now ready for operation. After Navi Mumbai, it is the second such RBI data centre in the country.
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 were present at the inauguration. Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal also attended. The Prime Minister landed at Biju Patnaik International Airport at around 4:15 pm aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft, took a helicopter to Khordha and then travelled by road to the RBI campus. He spent about an hour at the facility before returning, with departure scheduled for around 6:30 pm. Around 2,100 police personnel were deployed for security, and traffic restrictions were in force from 5:40 pm to 6:40 pm on the route between the airport and the data centre.
Why the data centre matters for India’s financial system
The RBI data centre will handle mission-critical payment and settlement systems, along with other flagship initiatives of the central bank. According to the government, it will widen the reach, efficiency and reliability of digital financial services and form the secure digital foundation on which India’s increasingly technology-driven financial economy can grow.
The facility has been certified to the Uptime Institute’s Tier IV standard, the highest global benchmark for data centre infrastructure and operational resilience. That makes it one of the largest Tier IV-certified facilities in the banking, financial services and insurance sector worldwide. The site itself was chosen for its geographical stability: Jatni lies away from seismically active zones and high-risk international border areas, reducing exposure to natural disasters and geopolitical vulnerabilities. For a facility that will hold the core of the country’s financial data, that stability is part of the security design.
What the cybersecurity training institute will do
Alongside the data centre, the cybersecurity training institute will serve as a dedicated platform for training, research and capability development for professionals in the banking, financial services and insurance sector. It will focus on frontier technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
At the inauguration, the Prime Minister noted that building skilled human resources and aligning modern technology with robust cybersecurity will better equip India’s financial institutions against evolving threats. The point matters because rapid growth in online banking and digital transactions has also brought heightened risks of cyber fraud, data theft and online attacks. Artificial intelligence systems can help detect unusual transaction patterns and potential fraud, while quantum computing is expected to create both new opportunities and new challenges in cryptography and data security. The institute is designed to work on both fronts.
Morning in Varanasi: garment unit inaugurated
The day had begun in Varanasi with the inauguration of Arvind Limited’s new garment manufacturing facility. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the facility will strengthen India’s textile and apparel manufacturing ecosystem and promote industrial growth in the region. Built around modern manufacturing practices, it is expected to generate employment, particularly for women.
The initiative is predominantly women-led, and the Prime Minister’s Office described it as a powerful symbol of women-led development. With a global customer base, products manufactured in Varanasi will reach markets across the world. For Uttar Pradesh, which has been working to attract industrial investment and expand manufacturing capacity, the facility is a significant addition.
‘Wings over Ganges’ air show at Namo Ghat
After the garment unit inauguration, the Prime Minister reached Namo Ghat in Varanasi for the Indian Air Force’s Air Force Day Aerial Display 2026. The display marked the 94th anniversary of the Indian Air Force and was held under the theme ‘Wings over Ganges’. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the event.
The display featured the Tejas light combat aircraft, the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, the Su-30MKI and the Rafale, along with transport aircraft. Aircraft from the Indian Navy and the Indian Army also took part, showcasing joint operations across the three services. The Air Force’s premier display teams, the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and the Sarang Helicopter Display Team, performed as well. A day earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had reviewed preparations for the show and stressed that public convenience must be prioritised alongside security arrangements, with cleanliness ensured along major roads and at event venues.
What the visit means for Odisha
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the RBI data centre will add another chapter to Odisha’s development journey. In his words, the Prime Minister’s visit and the inauguration of the state-of-the-art data centre will not only strengthen the state’s digital infrastructure but also give fresh momentum to the security of the country’s financial data and the growth of the digital economy. This was the Prime Minister’s ninth visit to Odisha since the BJP government took office in the state in June 2024.
The state government believes a central bank-grade data facility will strengthen Odisha’s reputation as a destination for IT and data infrastructure investment. The Prime Minister had earlier allocated semiconductor units for Odisha; the RBI data centre now deepens the state’s digital footprint further. That the country’s second RBI data centre, after Navi Mumbai, has come up at Jatni signals that high-value digital infrastructure is no longer confined to traditional technology hubs.
What happens next
With the data centre operational, India’s payment and settlement systems gain a secure, resilient and future-ready backbone at a time when digital transaction volumes keep rising. The cybersecurity training institute will supply the financial sector with professionals trained in both emerging technologies and emerging threats. In Varanasi, the garment unit opens up employment and export prospects for the region, while the air show over the Ganga displayed the country’s air power to a large public audience. Together, the three engagements of a single Sunday sketched a picture of industrial growth, defence capability and digital financial security advancing in parallel.
Disclaimer: This news has been prepared on the basis of available sources and verification. If any fact is found to be incorrect, a correction will be published.
