Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the fourth largest metropolitan city of India and the capital of state, Tamil Nadu. The city with an estimated population of 7.06 million is a large commercial and industrial centre, and is known for its cultural heritage and temple architecture. The city is undoubtedly one of the most preferred destinations foreign direct investment (FDI) in India such as joint ventures and Real Estate investments.

   Chennai has been rated as the most attractive Indian city for offshoring services according to A T Kearney's Indian City Services Attractiveness Index 2005. Major software and software services companies like Accenture, CSC, EDS, HCL, HP, IBM, Infosys, Satyam, Sun Microsystems, Symantec, TCS, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Verizon and Wipro have development centers in the city. The city is now the second largest exporter of IT and IT enabled Services in the country behind Bangalore.

   The city is rightly termed as the automobile capital of India. Chennai is the base for around 49% of India's auto components industry and 34% of the vehicle industry. A large number of the automotive companies including several global automotive companies such as Hyundai, Ford, BMW, Mitsubishi, TVS, Ashok Leyland, Caterpillar, Royal Enfield, TI Cycles, TAFE, Dunlop and MRF have manufacturing plants in and around Chennai. Nissan-Renault and Mahindra & Mahindra joint venture, Naza Automobiles and Apollo Tyres have plants under construction. The city is a major centre for the auto ancillary industry. Hyundai is in the process of setting up engine plant in the city. This has led to Chennai being referred to as the Detroit of South Asia.

   More recently, Chennai has emerged as an electronic manufacturing hub with multinational corporations like Dell, Nokia, Motorola, Cisco, Samsung, Siemens, Sony-Ericsson, Flextronics and Foxconn setting up Electronics/Hardware manufacturing plants, particularly in the Sriperumbudur electronics Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

   Petrochemical companies like Chennai Petro Chemicals Limited (CPCL), Manali Petro Chemicals Limited, Madras Refineries Limited (MRL), Petro Araldite and Orchid Pharmaceuticals are situated in the outskirts of Chennai.

   Chennai is an important centre for banking and finance. At present it is home to three large national level commercial banks and many state level co-operative banks. Several large financial companies and insurance companies are headquartered in Chennai. Many Indian banks, multi-national banks and the World Bank have located their back office operations in the city. The city serves as a major back up centre for operations of many banks and financial companies in India.

   Chennai is a textile industry hub with a large number of apparel industries located in the Ambattur-Padi industrial zone in the northern suburbs of the city. The city also has a large leather apparel and accessory industry. SEZ's for apparel manufacture and footwear are under construction in the southern suburbs of the city.

   The Chennai International Airport (comprising the Anna International Airport and the Kamaraj Domestic Airport) serves as the city's airport for both domestic and international flights and is the third busiest airport in India and is the premier international gateway in South India. The city is connected to major hubs in South Asia, South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America through over thirty national and international carriers. The airport is also the second busiest cargo terminus in the country.

   The Chennai Port and Ennore Port contribute greatly to its importance. The Chennai port is India's second busiest container hub, handling general industrial cargo, automobiles etc.

   The city has a fully computerised stock exchange called the Madras Stock Exchange.

Foreign investments in Chennai promises high return on investments, as FDI policies in India are among the most liberal and attractive in emerging economies. So, invest in Chennai, India and be a part of this progressive city.