Avadi is a neighbourhood of Chennai, India. It became a new municipal corporation in the Chennai Metropolitan Area and became city corporation of Tamil Nadu in 2019. The neighbourhood lies to the west of Chennai, about 22 kilometres (14 mi) west of Chennai Central Railway Station. It is surrounded by major defence establishments and is home to various universities and engineering colleges. The neighbourhood is served by Avadi Railway Station of the Chennai Suburban Railway. As of 2011, Avadi had a population of 345,996. It is home to the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Ordnance Factory Board (ODF) which houses Engine Factory and Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE). It is one of the most populous and developed areas in Chennai.
The neighbourhood is part of the "auto belt" that developed when the automobile industry developed in Madras, primarily in the city's industrial north and west regions, in the early post-World War II years. The famous session of the Indian National Congress was held at Avadi on 10 January 1955. This historical meet emphasised the importance of socialism and its impact on social development. Jawaharlal Nehru with Morarji Desai and other Congress leaders at the AICC session declared that a socialistic pattern of society was the goal of the Congress.