9APRIL 2026DAIKIN TO INVEST RS 1,000 CRORE IN INDIA FOR GLOBAL R&D HUBPREMIER ENERGIES SOLAR ORDERS SURGE TO RS 2,577 CR IN Q4 FY26Japan-based Daikin Industries has announced a major investment of 1,000 crore in India to set up its first global research and development (R&D) centre outside Japan. This move signals the company's growing confidence in India as a key market for innovation and technology.The new R&D centre in India will focus on developing advanced solutions for air conditioning systems and chillers for data centres used in homes, commercial spaces, and fast-growing sectors like digital infrastructure. By building this facility in India, Daikin aims to leverage the country's strong engineering talent while creating products for global markets.The centre is expected to come up near the company's existing manufacturing base in Neemrana Rajasthan. Daikin plans to hire around 500 engineers, strengthening India engineering talent and supporting global product Premier Energies solar orders jumped to Rs 2,577 crore in the fourth quarter of FY26, signaling strong demand from independent power producers and EPC contractors.The Premier Energies solar orders include supply of solar cells and modules, strengthening the company's position in India's fast-growing renewable energy market.development in cooling technologies. This also reflects a broader trend of multinational companies shifting high-value research work to India.The investment is part of Daikin's long-term strategy to make India its largest hub outside Japan. Over the years, the company has been steadily expanding its India manufacturing hub. Alongside the R&D centre, it is also working on increasing local production of key components such as compressor manufacturing India and refrigerants.Additionally, Daikin is preparing to manufacture chillers for data centres within India, backed by an extra investment of around 200 crore. This aligns with rising demand for data centre cooling solutions driven by rapid digital growth.India plays a central role in Daikin's Vision 2030 plans, with the company aiming to expand India exports growth to nearly 100 markets worldwide. It is also targeting strong revenue expansion from its India operations.Overall, this investment highlights how India is evolving beyond a production base into a global hub for HVAC innovation India, cooling technology development, and foreign investment India manufacturing. The surge reflects rising activity in domestic solar manufacturing as developers push to meet clean energy targets. Large-scale projects and infrastructure players are driving procurement, keeping order pipelines active across the sector.Alongside this momentum, Premier Energies has expanded its manufacturing capacity to 10.6 GW. Its module capacity now stands at 11.1 GW, underlining a clear focus on scaling operations to match demand. This expansion is expected to improve efficiency while enabling the company to handle bigger utility-scale projects.The Premier Energies solar orders growth comes at a time when India's solar sector is accelerating. Policy support and rising power demand are pushing developers to fast-track projects, increasing reliance on domestic suppliers. This trend is also helping strengthen local supply chains.With a strong order book and higher production capacity, the company is positioning itself for sustained growth. As India moves closer to its renewable energy goals, firms with integrated manufacturing and execution strength are likely to benefit the most from expanding solar project activity.
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