'Gujarat Is The Gateway To Future'

For the Tata group, Gujarat is a very special place, said Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of Tata Sons. He was speaking at the tenth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on Wednesday.

Chandrasekaran emphasised that the state is the gateway to the future and has played a significant role in the nation’s economic and social development.

Tata's origins can be traced back to Gujarat, the birthplace of its founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. "We have been present in this state since 1939, with the journey commencing through Tata Chemicals, which has a rich history of 85 years," the Chairman added.

Presently with around 50,000 employees in the state, Chandrasekaran said we are committed to expanding our presence in Gujarat and Sanand will be our operation centre for all our electric vehicle (EV) technology.

Shedding light on Tata’s expansion at Sanand the Chairman underscored that it is to meet our growing EV demands. He further stressed the company will launch a 20-gigawatts factory looking forward to developing lithium-ion batteries, a project likely to start in the coming months.

Furthermore, he unveiled the plan to build defence aircraft in Vadodara. The Tata Chief said the work is currently in full swing and is likely to be expanded to Dholera in Ahmedabad district. 

Chandrasekaran also highlighted Tata’s semiconductor aims. He said, "We are about to complete negotiations for the semiconductor fab in Dholera and will start operations in 2024."

The Tata group is collaborating with the Gujarat government and the Indian Institute of Skills Institute to construct a facility spanning over 3.2 lakh square feet. This state-of-the-art institute is expected to be fully operational by March 2024, providing training to over 25,000 professionals annually. The focus of the training programmes will primarily be on advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, advanced electronics, and hospitality, he added.

Attributing to the significance of Gujarat Chandrasekaran said we perceive the state as a promising hub fostering our advanced tech industries that aim to imprint India’s presence globally. Given these circumstances, Gujarat holds significant importance for the Tata group, and we aspire to contribute significantly to the state's economic development in the times, Chandrasekaran concluded.