AstraZeneca to invest Rs 250 cr in Chennai to expand its global innovation and tech centre

CHENNAI: AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL), the Global Capability Centre (GCC) of AstraZeneca, announced an investment of Rs 250 cr ($30 million) to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai, which includes close to 1,300 roles focused on driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining operations across the company globally.

The expanded facility was inaugurated on Thursday in a ceremony officiated by the TN industries minister TRB Rajaa, British Deputy High Commissioner to India Christina Scott CMG, AstraZeneca VP for Asia Area Sylvia Varela, as well as AstraZeneca’s leadership team in the country, as per a release.

The investment marks a significant milestone in AstraZeneca’s growth story in India as it celebrates its 45th year in the country this month. With the highly skilled roles to be brought in by 2025, the expanded GITC will propel the company's vision to leverage technologies such as enterprise platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and supply chain analytics to shape healthcare outcomes.

Siva Padmanabhan, MD, AZIPL, said: “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. We are deeply invested in infusing the best of technology and innovation practices into the healthcare ecosystem.”

MK Stalin, chief minister, said: "Technology is the driving force behind innovation and we are committed to make TN an epicentre of technology and research. This collaboration with AstraZeneca aligns perfectly with our vision to foster innovation and create high-value opportunities for the people of Tamil Nadu. We are committed to ensure TN's position as a premier investment destination for companies around the world."

Raaja said "AstraZeneca's decision to further expand their facility in Chennai is a reinforcement of their faith and commitment to TN's unmatched talent pool and business ecosystem. In the last three years, Chennai has rapidly emerged as the GCC capital of India, leading to historical levels of office space absorption and bringing high-quality jobs to the state. We are delighted that AstraZeneca is part of this exciting growth journey. This investment will not only enhance our state's capabilities in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors but also spur technological advancements and economic development. With this expansion and talent exposure, AstraZeneca is contributing to our vision of making TN a global hub for innovation-driven industries."

Since its inception, the GITC in Chennai has evolved from providing traditional IT services to becoming an engine of AstraZeneca’s digital journey, driving productivity, simplification, technology delivery, and innovation across the company’s global operations, supporting the delivery of life-changing medicines to patients worldwide.

The facility currently occupies 334,000 square feet of office space at Ramanujan IT City, with plans to add approximately 180,000 square feet over the next six months to accommodate this expansion, creating AstraZeneca’s biggest GCC.

AstraZeneca has a strong hub for technology as well as R&D in India. Including the GITC, it employs over 4,000 in the country.