Nokia Expands R&D Centre in Tamil Nadu with ₹450 Crore Investment

Nokia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to expand its Research and Development (R&D) centre with a ₹450 crore investment. The agreement, exchanged in San Francisco in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin and Industries Minister TRB Rajaa, will enhance Nokia's focus on cutting-edge technologies such as 10G, 25G, 50G, and 100G PON, Fixed Wireless Access, and MDU solutions. The Tamil Nadu government will provide essential infrastructure, regulatory, and policy support to facilitate this expansion.

The R&D centre in Chennai, set to become the largest fixed network lab within Nokia globally, highlights Tamil Nadu's growing prominence as a hub for telecom research and development. This investment follows other significant developments in the state, including Ericsson's 6G research team in Chennai and the recent inauguration of a 6G Quantum Communications centre at IIT-Madras Research Park.

Nokia's Sriperumbudur factory, one of its largest worldwide, has been a key player in producing telecom infrastructure equipment for 4G and 5G networks, serving both domestic and international markets. The company already operates two R&D centres in India, located in Bengaluru and Chennai, further solidifying its commitment to innovation in the country.

Industries Minister TRB Rajaa expressed pride in Nokia's continued partnership with Tamil Nadu, emphasizing the state's evolving role as a global destination for R&D and technology services. The expansion of Nokia's R&D centre is expected to boost the state's technological capabilities and reinforce its position in the global telecom sector.

This move marks a significant return for Nokia in Tamil Nadu, following the closure of its Sriperumbudur mobile phone manufacturing plant in 2014 due to a tax dispute. The new investment signals Nokia's renewed commitment to the state and its strategic importance in the company's global operations.

News by Rahul Yelligetti