OSAKA: Daikin Thursday said that it is lining up fresh investments of Rs 2,800 crore, of which around Rs 1,300 crore will go towards R&D for chillers and high capacity air conditioners that can also be used in data centres.During his meeting, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal is learnt to have suggested to Daikin Industries president and COO Naofumi Takaneka that the Japanese company should go beyond assembling compressors to also manufacture them in India, including their components. Takaneka is learnt to have responded by saying that the R&D centre will seek to develop products that are conducive for Indian climate.Takaneka told TOI that Daikin is keen to be present across the segments — from residential to commercial establishments as well as data centres. Since setting up the Neemrana factory in 2009, Daikin set up a JV for compressors in 2025 and has its own compressor unit as part of the PLI scheme for white goods. It’s R&D centre and innovation centre are due to be ready by 2028.
