Basis Bay may build a data center in Uzbekistan

Malaysian company Basis Bay is considering building a data center in Uzbekistan, Dunyo news agency reported. Company specialists are expected to visit the country soon to assess the local IT services market.

Basis Bay’s Chairman, Prabo Thiagarajah, held talks with Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Karomiddin Gadoyev. The discussion focused on investment opportunities in data center infrastructure as part of Uzbekistan’s digital economy development strategy.

Thiagarajah noted that Basis Bay built Malaysia’s only data center fully owned by a local resident. In 2009, the company was also among the first in Asia to launch a “green” facility using eco-friendly technologies.

The sides agreed to organize a visit by a Malaysian delegation to explore market opportunities and evaluate the potential for constructing a data center.

This topic was also raised during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Malaysia in February, where he identified data centers as a priority area for cooperation alongside AI, digital tech, and semiconductors.

In a July open dialogue with the IT sector, Green White Solutions founder Abdukahkhar Toshmukhamedov highlighted the shortage of computing capacity in Uzbekistan. He said there is not a single data center that fully meets international standards.

This, he argued, complicates compliance with data protection regulations for local clients. He proposed requiring all government entities to maintain at least two data centers — primary and backup.

Deputy Minister for Digital Technologies Oleg Pekos stated that the “E-Government” data center launched in 2022 was certified under the international Tier III standard. He added that Uzbektelecom plans to open three more facilities in Kokand, Bukhara, and Ohangaron by year-end.