Google to start Pixel smartphone production in Tamil Nadu, says CM Stalin

Chennai: American multinational corporation, Google LLC, is likely to set up a pixel manufacturing unit near Chennai for the first time, opening up employment opportunities for youth trained in IT related jobs, giving a leg up to Chief Minister M K Stalin’s aspiration to turn Tamil Nadu into a ‘US $ One Trillion economy’ by 2030.

According to sources, State industries minister T R B Raaja met top honchos of Google at their headquarters in California, US, along with officials of the Taiwanese company Foxconn that already has units in the State to discuss the possibility of the global IT giant starting a manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu.

Following the discussions, Google honchos, who have evinced interest in the project are expected to arrive in Chennai to meet Stalin and work out the modalities for their new pixel cell phone making unit near Chennai, the sources said.

Along with the manufacturing of pixel smartphones, Google might also make drones in the unit that might come up near Sriperumbudur, the sources said.

Foxconn, which is a contract manufacturer for Apple, already has a unit near Chennai for assembly iPhone equipment. Now it is likely to tie up with Google for the pixel smartphone manufacturing facility, which would be a boost to the State’s industrial development.

To realize his ‘US $ One Trillion’ economy, the Chief Minister has conducted a series of investors’ meets in Chennai and abroad, in places like Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the Gulf nations and France. and has attracted commitments for an investment of Rs 9,61,000 crore in the State, which would generate 30 lakh jobs.