KLA to invest Rs 3,600 crore for R&D and Innovation campus in Chennai

American semiconductor tech giant KLA Corp. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a new R&D campus in Chennai, with plans to invest up to $400 million (Rs 3,600 crore) over the next decade.

The agreement marks a significant expansion of the company's operations in India and reinforces the state's growing prominence in the global semiconductor industry.

The planned facility will be built on a 12-acre site and is envisioned as one of KLA's largest innovation hubs worldwide, with a potential capacity of up to 1.5 million square feet over time.

The campus designed to support advanced research and engineering in semiconductor process control and AI-led innovation, and is expected to generate up to 4,000 jobs over the 10-year period.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin, Industries Minister, TRB Rajaa, Chief Secretary, N Muruganandam, Industry Secretary, Arun Roy, and Bobby Bell, Executive VP and Head of Government Relations at KLA.

Rajaa emphasised that the investment reinforces Tamil Nadu's role in the global semiconductor value chain and supports the creation of high-quality jobs, while building advanced technology capabilities.

Dominic David, President of KLA India, stated that India has been critical to KLA's global growth for over two decades and that the new campus continues the company's long-term vision to scale India as a global centre for AI and software-led semiconductor innovation.

The facility is intended to extend existing R&D capabilities, strengthen collaboration across global teams, and provide broader support to customers.

This announcement follows KLA's recent opening of a Rs 300 crore research and innovation hub in Chennai in January, which accommodates up to 1,300 employees.

Source: Swarajya.