Coromandel International to Set-up Corporate Research Centre at IIT Madras Research Park to Strengthen Industry-Academia Collaboration

Coromandel International to Set-up Corporate Research Centre at IIT Madras Research Park to Strengthen Industry-Academia Collaboration

MoU highlighted at the inauguration of IITM Global Research Foundation by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar

National, January 12 2026: Coromandel International Limited, one of India’s leading agri-solutions providers, has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) for the establishment of a Corporate Research Centre at the IITM Research Park. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the IITM Global Research Foundation, presided over by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, Government of India.

During the ceremony, the MoU copy was formally handed over to Mr. Narayanan Vellayan, Whole-time Director – Strategic Sourcing, Coromandel International Limited, by Dr. Jaishankar, in the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras. The event witnessed participation from IIT Madras’ global partners across the USA, UK, Germany, Malaysia, UAE, and Singapore, underscoring the institute’s expanding international research footprint.

The partnership will enable Coromandel to leverage the world-class research, innovation, and technology infrastructure of the IIT Madras ecosystem in India and abroad, fostering advanced collaboration in areas of strategic importance to agriculture, sustainability and emerging technologies.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Narayanan Vellayan, Whole-time Director – Strategic Sourcing, Coromandel International Limited, said: “Coromandel has always believed that innovation and research are critical to strengthening India’s agricultural ecosystem and driving sustainable growth. Our collaboration with IIT Madras Global will enable us to work closely with leading researchers, scientists, and global partners to develop breakthrough solutions in crop nutrition and advanced agri-inputs. The Corporate Research Centre will serve as a strategic platform to translate cutting-edge science into scalable technologies that benefit farmers, industry, and the nation’s innovation agenda.”

Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, Mr. T. Madhav Narayan, CEO, IITM Global, said that the MoU with Coromandel represents a powerful step toward deep industry–academia engagement, accelerating translational research and innovation with real-world impact.

The Corporate Research Centre will act as a hub for joint research programs, technology incubation, talent development, and international collaboration, supporting Coromandel’s long-term focus on science-led growth and future-ready agri-solutions.

About Coromandel

Coromandel International Limited is amongst India’s pioneers and leading Agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services across the farming value chain. It operates in two major segments: Nutrient and other allied businesses and Crop Protection. These include Fertilisers, Crop Protection, Bio Products, Specialty Nutrients and Organic businesses. The Company is 2nd largest manufacturer and marketer of Phosphatic fertilisers in India. The Company’s Crop Protection products are marketed in India as well as in international geographies, offering a wide range of technical and formulation products. The Specialty Nutrients business of the Company focuses on water soluble fertilisers, secondary & micronutrients and Nano fertilisers products. The Company is a leading marketer of Organic fertilisers in India. The Bio Products business of the company focusses on plant extractions for various applications. It also operates a network of more than 1000 rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Through these Retail outlets, the Company offers agri inputs and farming services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanization to around 3 million farmers. The Company currently has 8 R&D centers and a strong Regulatory setup, supporting the businesses in process development and new product introduction. The Company currently has 21 manufacturing facilities, spread widely across India, producing a wide range of Nutrient and Crop Protection products, which are marketed through an extensive network of dealers and its own retail centers.

The Company clocked a turnover of Rs. 24,444 Crores during FY24-25. Its efforts towards environment have been well recognized by international organizations like UNDP and has also been voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI. Coromandel is a part of the Murugappa Group with a turnover of INR 90,178 crore.

For more details, visit www.coromandel.biz

About Murugappa Group

A 125-year-old conglomerate with presence across India and the world, the INR 902 billion (90,178 crore) Murugappa Group has diverse businesses in agriculture, engineering, financial services and more.

The Group has 10 listed companies: Carborundum Universal Limited, CG Power & Industrial Solutions Limited, Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Limited, Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company Limited, Coromandel International Limited, E.I.D.-Parry (India) Limited, NACL Industries Limited, Shanthi Gears Limited, Tube Investments of India Limited, and Wendt (India) Limited. Other major companies include Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited and Parry Agro Industries Limited. Brands such as Ajax, Hercules, BSA, Montra, Montra Electric, Mach City, Chola, Chola MS, CG Power, Shanthi Gears, CUMI, Gromor, Paramfos, Parry’s are part of the Group’s illustrious stable. 

Abrasives, technical ceramics, electrominerals, electric vehicles, auto components, fans, transformers, signalling equipment for railways, bicycles, fertilisers, sugar, tea and several other products make up the Group’s business interests. 

Guided by the Five lights — integrity, passion, quality, respect and responsibility — and a culture of professionalism, the Group has a workforce of 94,041 employees.

For more details, visit www.murugappa.com