New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- Some cities announce their arrival with a dramatic skyline or a sudden burst of global investment. Chennai has taken a different route. Its economic story has been building for decades: manufacturing at scale, deep engineering capability, technology services, Global Capability Centres, mature office corridors and, increasingly, digital infrastructure.

What makes Chennai especially interesting today is not any one of these strengths in isolation, but the way they are beginning to work together.

The city already accounts for approximately 30% of India's vehicle production and 35% of its auto components. It also hosts more than 400 GCCs employing over 2.1 lakh professionals, while its Grade A/A+ office market has expa...