AstraZeneca to Invest ₹250 Crore in Chennai.

AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL), the global capability centre (GCC) of AstraZeneca, will invest ₹250 crore ($30 million) to expand its global innovation and technology centre (GITC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This expansion will include around 1,300 roles aimed at driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining operations across the company globally, according to a media release.

The expanded facility was inaugurated on Thursday by Tamil Nadu Minister of Industries TRB Rajaa, British Deputy High Commissioner to India Christina Scott CMG, and AstraZeneca’s Vice President for Asia Area Sylvia Varela.

The investment coincides with AstraZeneca's 45th anniversary in India. With the expanded GITC and workforce by 2025, the company plans to leverage technologies such as enterprise platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and supply chain analytics.

"We are evolving our technologies constantly so that we can stay ahead of the curve in healthcare and pharmaceutical industries to better serve our patients in countries where we operate," said Siva Padmanabhan, Managing Director of AZIPL. "We are deeply invested in infusing the best of technology and innovation practices into the healthcare ecosystem."

Minister Rajaa highlighted Chennai's emergence as India's GCC capital, noting the city's significant office space absorption and the creation of high-quality jobs in the state.

AstraZeneca's 3.34 lakh sq ft office space at Ramanujan IT City will expand by about 1.8 lakh sq ft over the next six months, making it the company's largest GCC. Along with the GITC, the company employs more than 4,000 people in India.

HBL