Summary: The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), through Notification No. IFSCA/GN/2026/017 dated 22 October 2026, has specified Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and connected data centre equipment as eligible equipment for operating lease arrangements, including hybrid operating and financial leases, within the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs). The notification has been issued under Section 12 of the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019, read with Central Government Notification S.O. 5199(E) dated 14 December 2021, which recognised operating leases of specified products and equipment as financial products. The definition of GPUs covers conventional graphics processing units, general-purpose GPUs, artificial intelligence accelerators, tensor and neural processing units, accelerated computing equipment and comparable technologies. It also includes rack-scale artificial intelligence systems comprising compute trays, switch trays, CPUs and input/output units integrated within a single rack, regardless of whether supplied or invoiced as one integrated system. Connected data centre equipment includes specified integrated circuits, processors, controllers, servers, storage, networking, interconnect and power equipment, together with associated parts and accessories. The notification limits connected data centre equipment to assets dedicated to and directly associated with GPUs and expressly excludes equipment serving the data centre facility as a whole. The measure expands the range of technology infrastructure assets eligible for leasing under the IFSC financial-products framework. It takes effect from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTRES AUTHORITY
NOTIFICATION
Gandhinagar, the 22nd October, 2026
No. IFSCA/GN/2026/ 017.— The Central Government vide notification S.O. 5199 (E) dated 14th December, 2021, notified operating lease including any hybrid of operating and financial lease of such product or equipment as may be specified by International Financial Services Centres Authority, as financial product;
In exercise of the powers conferred by the said notification read with section 12 of the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 (50 of 2019), the International Financial Services Centres Authority hereby specifies “Graphics Processing Units” and “connected data centre equipment” as equipment for the purposes of the said notification.
Explanation. – For the purposes of this notification, –
(i) “Graphics Processing Units ” means—
(a) graphics processing units, whether or not containing, in the same housing, one or two of the following types of units: storage units, input units or output units, including various types of storage units and allied parts and accessories, and includes general-purpose graphics processing units, artificial intelligence accelerators, tensor or neural processing units, accelerated computing equipment and comparable computing or acceleration technologies; and
(b) rack-scale artificial intelligence systems, whether or not supplied or invoiced as one integrated system or otherwise, including compute trays, switch trays, CPU and input or output units integrated within a single rack, and presented in the form of systems;
(ii) “connected data centre equipment” means-
a. electronic integrated circuits comprising processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits or other circuits;
b. servers, storage, networking, interconnect and power equipment including server power supply units and any other equipment required for the deployment or operation of the equipment in a data centre; and
c. parts and accessories of above, but does not include equipment serving the data centre facility as a whole;
in so far as the above equipment are dedicated to and directly associated with Graphics Processing Units.
2. This notification shall come into force on the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
Dr. PRAVEEN TRIVEDI, Executive Director
[ADVT.-III/4/Exty./408/2026-27]
