Unilever announced on Wednesday a fresh investment of €35 million to expand its research and development operations in India, transforming its hubs in Mumbai and Bengaluru into AI-powered innovation centres and establishing a dedicated Bio-Futures partnership platform.
The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant said the Mumbai facility will be repositioned as a “Product Innovation Centre,” integrating AI-driven consumer insights, rapid prototyping, product and packaging design, and scale-up capabilities under one roof. The Bengaluru hub will continue as a global science and technology centre, housing foundational research platforms, digital and AI capabilities, and India Foods R&D.
The announcement builds on more than €20 million Unilever has already spent on its India R&D infrastructure over the past five years, which included a Liquids Lab of the Future, an in-house Fragrance House, and AI and digital modelling platforms. The two India hubs together employ over 800 scientists, researchers, digital specialists, and designers, making India one of Unilever’s largest R&D locations globally.
Separately, Unilever earmarked €5 million over five years for a Bio-Futures partnership in India, aimed at connecting its global R&D pipeline with India’s bioscience ecosystem. The focus areas include microbiome science, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and AI-enabled biology.
Shares of Hindustan Unilever Ltd closed at ₹1,977.10 on the NSE on November 4, 2026, up 0.73 per cent or ₹14.30 from the previous close of ₹1,962.80. The stock touched an intraday high of ₹1,982.00 and a low of ₹1,941.10, with traded volume of 17.71 lakh shares worth ₹347.89 crore. The company’s total market capitalisation stood at ₹4,64,537.69 crore. The stock is trading well below its 52-week high of ₹2,488.00 hit on December 1, 2025, and has declined approximately 19 per cent over the past year, underperforming the Nifty 50’s 6.4 per cent fall over the same period.
Chief R&D Officer Richard Slater said the investment would create a “more connected way of innovating” by bringing together science, design, digital technology, AI, and rapid prototyping. HUL Managing Director and CEO Priya Nair highlighted India’s standing as one of the world’s fastest-growing large economies and its emerging position in biosciences and biomanufacturing as key reasons for the commitment.
Published on November 4, 2026
