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.