AstraZeneca investing $30 million to expand global innovation centre in Tamil Nadu's Chennai

AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL) has announced a significant investment of $30 million (approximately Rs 250 crore) to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 

The expansion is aimed at bolstering the company's capabilities in innovation, efficiency, and global operations.

The newly expanded Global Capability Centre (GCC) will be AstraZeneca’s largest globally, reflecting the company’s commitment to technological advancement and healthcare outcomes.

Expansion to create employment

The expansion of the GITC is expected to create approximately 1,300 new positions by 2025.

These roles will focus on driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining operations across the company’s global operations. The new campus will ultimately house 4,000 high-quality jobs in Chennai.

AstraZeneca currently employs more than 4,000 people in India, and this investment will further increase employment opportunities, particularly in high-skilled roles involving enterprise platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and supply chain analytics.

Leadership comments

Dr TRB Rajaa, Tamil Nadu's Minister of Industries, emphasized, "This investment will not only enhance our state's capabilities in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors but also spur technological advancements and economic development."

Christina Scott CMG, British Deputy High Commissioner, and Sylvia Varela, AstraZeneca’s Vice President for Asia Area, also attended the inauguration, underscoring the international importance of this expansion.

Siva Padmanabhan, Managing Director, AstraZeneca India Private Limited, stated, "At AstraZeneca, 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."

Sanjeev Panchal, Managing Director and Country President of AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited (AZPIL), said, "Our expansion in Chennai signifies AstraZeneca's unwavering commitment to pioneering science and innovation."

Facility details

The GITC facility in Chennai currently occupies 334,000 square feet of office space at Ramanujan IT City. With the new investment, AstraZeneca plans to add approximately 180,000 square feet over the next six months.

The expansion will make the Chennai site the largest Global Capability Centre for AstraZeneca worldwide. The facility will leverage advanced technologies to enhance healthcare outcomes and drive AstraZeneca’s vision of transforming the future of healthcare.

AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical company, entered the Indian market around 45 years ago and has since been a key player in the healthcare sector. The company developed the widely-used COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield.