Pillaipakkam Electronics Cluster Near Sriperumbudur Draws Rs 5,813 Crore Investment
The Pillaipakkam industrial park near Sriperumbudur has secured Rs 5,813 crore in investments, with 92 percent of its land already allotted as Tamil Nadu expands its advanced electronics and automotive manufacturing ecosystem. The 379-acre cluster is one of two state sites approved under the Union government's Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) scheme, which carries a combined infrastructure investment of about Rs 1,012 crore alongside another upcoming park in Manalur.
The cluster at Pillaipakkam currently houses operations and upcoming facilities for several global and domestic companies. These include an electric vehicle battery pack unit by Ashok Leyland, an EV control systems facility by Hyundai Kefico, a unit of Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies—a joint venture involving Apple supplier Corning—as well as module manufacturing by US-based First Solar and a facility for Kone Elevators.
According to S. Krishnan, secretary of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the electronics cluster caters to automotive, industrial, consumer, and telecom electronics, as well as electronic components. Krishnan noted that the initiative aims to create a manufacturing-ready ecosystem for anchor companies and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Shared testing and validation facilities, including PCB labs, are designed to lower costs and integrate with national schemes such as the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme.
Ashok Leyland is establishing its Pillaipakkam facility to localise EV battery pack production. Managing director and chief executive officer Shenu Agarwal previously stated that the facility would help develop advanced battery solutions and strengthen the domestic supply chain for enhanced reliability and safety.
The park's shared infrastructure includes an EV battery testing lab, a solar photovoltaic and electronics lab, a PCB design centre, prototyping and surface-mount technology (SMT) lines, and an electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) lab. SIPCOT is currently procuring machinery and instruments, aiming to make the cluster fully operational by November 2027.
Ashok Chandak, president of the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), indicated that the Pillaipakkam site will focus on four primary verticals: EV battery packs, energy storage, automotive electronics, and precision engineering and elevators.
Meanwhile, the proposed EMC 2.0 cluster at Manalur in Tiruvallur district remains stalled due to a legal challenge before the National Green Tribunal concerning environmental clearance. The state government has filed a civil appeal to address the issue.
