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In a major boost to Tamil Nadu’s electric mobility ambitions, the Hinduja Group has committed Rs7,500 crore through a Memorandum of Understanding signed during Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s UK investment tour. The funds will be directed toward manufacturing EV batteries, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and setting up charging stations across the state.
The investment will be channeled through Ashok Leyland, the group’s Indian flagship, along with other Hinduja entities. CM Stalin hailed the development as “electrifying news,” underscoring its significance for Tamil Nadu’s green energy transition.
This announcement builds on Ashok Leyland’s earlier partnership with China’s CALB Group to develop next-generation batteries. Under that agreement, the company plans to invest over Rs5,000 crore across 7 to 10 years to localize battery and energy storage production.
The Hinduja deal marks the largest single investment commitment during the UK leg of Tamil Nadu’s TN Rising Europe initiative. In total, the state secured Rs15,516 crore in investment promises during this phase, with the potential to generate 17,613 jobs. The German leg of the tour added Rs7,020 crore across 26 MoUs, spanning aerospace, automotive, electronics, and deep tech sectors.
Alongside the Hinduja agreement, AstraZeneca announced a Rs716 crore expansion of its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai—its third major investment in Tamil Nadu within two years.
The Europe tour also included cultural and academic engagements, with CM Stalin visiting Ambedkar House in London, paying tribute at Karl Marx’s tomb, and interacting with Indian-origin students at SOAS University. Additional MoUs worth Rs820 crore were signed across multiple sectors, expected to create 1,293 jobs.
The Hinduja Group’s investment reinforces Tamil Nadu’s position as a leading destination for EV innovation and manufacturing, aligning with the state’s broader strategy to attract global capital, generate employment, and accelerate its transition to sustainable mobility.
