AstraZeneca India Private Limited on Thursday announced an investment of $30 million (Rs 250 crore) to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Tamil Nadu.

AstraZeneca has inaugurated its Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Chennai, which will be its largest globally. The expansion is aimed at streamlining operations, focusing on efficiency and innovation, and developing 1,300 positions in line with these goals by next year.

The expanded GCC is expected to lead the company to "leverage technologies such as enterprise platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and supply chain analytics to shape healthcare outcomes."

Raja, British Deputy High Commissioner Christina Scott CMG and Silvia Varela, Vice President, Asia Region, AstraZeneca. "AstraZeneca's investment will not only enhance our state's capabilities in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, but will also promote technological advancement and economic development. " Raja said in a statement.

This new campus will provide space for 4000 high-quality jobs in Chennai," TRB Raja said.

The GITC facility in Chennai currently has 334,000 square feet of office space in Ramanujan IT City. With AstraZeneca's entry into the landscape, it plans to add about 180,000 square feet in the next six months.

AZIPL is the global capacity centre of the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company, which entered the Indian market about 45 years ago. The company has developed the much-sought-after Covid-19 vaccine, Covishield. At present, more than 4000 people are working in the country.