Chip making giant Qualcomm has revealed plans to broaden its presence in the southern Indian city of Chennai, news agency PTI has reported. The chip designer aims to allocate Rs 177.27 crore for establishing a new design centre in the city, potentially generating employment opportunities for up to 1,600 skilled professionals. This announcement was made during Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet in Chennai.
“The new Design Centre in Chennai plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of connectivity globally, especially in India. The new Design Center is a critical asset to support Qualcomm’s commitment to Make in India and Design in India. This will expand our collaboration with India technology partners and accelerate the market adoption of new technology,” Savi Soin, President, Qualcomm India, said in a statement.
The company has stated that the Design Centre in Chennai will specialise in wireless connectivity solutions, emphasising innovations that align with Wi-Fi technologies.
“We are excited about the opportunities the new Design Center will bring to the local community. Tamil Nadu, with its rich pool of skilled professionals, outstanding educational institutions and focus on innovation, holds the key to propelling Qualcomm’s technological advancements to new heights,” Mahesh Moorthy, Vice President, Engineering and Qualcomm Chennai Design Centre Head, was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, earlier last month, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. declared its endorsement for India’s navigation satellite system, NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), integrating it into specific commercial chipset platforms within the company’s upcoming portfolio. The chip makor also expressed its commitment to collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to expedite the adoption of NavIC.
This collaboration aims to improve geolocation capabilities and enhance the overall robustness of mobile, automotive, and Internet of Things solutions in the region.
“We’re pleased to enhance our commitment to India by enabling support for the newly launched NavIC L1 signals in our chipset platforms. We continue our work with ISRO to further accelerate NavIC’s adoption and to enable more advanced geolocation applications with the latest NavIC technologies,” said Francesco Grilli, Vice President, Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies Inc.