News Brief
KLA Corporation Eyeing Rs 3,000 Crore R&D Hub In Chennai To Deepen Semiconductor Innovation: Report
A semiconductor chip. (Representative Image)
American semiconductor equipment major KLA Corporation is in advanced discussions with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a new Rs 3,000 crore research and development centre in Chennai, according to an Economic Times report.
The proposed facility would significantly expand KLA’s footprint in India and create around 3,000 high-skilled jobs, reinforcing the state’s position as a growing hub for advanced technology and semiconductor research.
The Nasdaq-listed company, which reported $10.85 billion in revenue in 2024, already operates a software, algorithm and artificial-intelligence development facility in Chennai, alongside an AI-Advanced Computing Lab in collaboration with the IIT Madras Research Park.
“KLA has been engaged in discussions with the Tamil Nadu government for an R&D hub to build on their existing presence,” a source was quoted as saying by ET.
Currently employing around 800 professionals in Chennai — its only Indian base, the company plans to make the new R&D centre part of its global research network, which spans Newport (Wales), Ann Arbor (Michigan), Dresden (Germany), Israel, and Singapore.
Queries to both KLA and the Tamil Nadu government remained unanswered at press time.
Industry experts see the proposed Chennai centre as a milestone for India’s semiconductor ecosystem.
“KLA setting up an R&D centre in Chennai stands apart from other semiconductor investments in India for its focus and depth,” Prabhu Ram, vice-president of the industry research group at CyberMedia Research was quoted as saying.
Ram added that, through collaboration with IIT Madras and its global network, KLA could pioneer research in defect-detection algorithms, yield optimisation and quantum computing, ultimately strengthening India’s semiconductor and manufacturing landscape.
