Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate Nestlé is planning to build a facility in India to expand the production capacity of its Maggi noodles at Sanand in Gujarat.

The facility will be built by the company with an initial investment of Rs7bn ($99.2m) over a period of two years.

Nestlé India chairman and managing director Suresh Narayanan said: “This marks a significant step in enhancing our manufacturing footprint in line with our commitment to Make in India.

“The state-of-the-art, environmentally sustainable factory for Maggi noodles will involve an initial investment of nearly Rs7bn over the next two years and generate employment for about 400 people. We are keen to embrace diversity through at least 50% of women employees.”

Upon completion, the site will be Nestlé’s ninth facility in India.

In 1961, the Swiss firm established its first facility in India at Moga in Punjab, which was followed by another facility Choladi in Tamil Nadu in 1967.

The company further expanded its presence in Southern India in 1989 by establishing a plant in Nanjangud in Karnataka, and in 1992, it set up its facility in Samalkha in Haryana.

During 1995 and 1997, the company opened its facilities in Ponda and Bicholim in Goa, and in 2006, it established a facility in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand.

In 2012, Nestlé opened its eighth manufacturing facility at Tahliwal in Himachal Pradesh.

Last month, Nestlé Indonesia announced plans to expand its three facilities located in Karawang (West Java), Kejayan (East Java) and Panjang (Lampung) with an investment of $100m.

The investment will enable the company to enhance its production capacity by 25%, as well as promote upcoming products in Indonesia, such as Bear Brand, Milo and Maggi.