Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 10 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay is set to depart on Thursday for an official visit to the United Kingdom, leading a high-level delegation to attract fresh global investments and expand operations across key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles (EVs), electronics, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
The overseas outreach aims to generate large-scale employment and further solidify the state government's core objective of positioning Tamil Nadu as Asia’s leading investment-friendly destination.
The visit follows a major economic milestone achieved within 100 days of the Vijay-led administration assuming office, during which the state signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) securing investments exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore at the 'Vetri Tamil Nadu Investors’ Conference 2026', according to an official statement.
Multinational companies from various European countries have proposed investment projects worth approximately Rs 8,491 crore, which are expected to create employment opportunities for around 5,690 people. This reflects the growing interest and confidence of investors in Tamil Nadu as an investment destination.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into effect on 15 July 2026, has further strengthened these initiatives. Tamil Nadu has emerged as one of the leading states in implementing the agreement, with export consignments being dispatched from Chennai on the very first day of CETA’s implementation, as stated in the release.
Tamil Nadu has strong industrial capabilities across various manufacturing and services sectors. The agreement has opened up several new opportunities in these sectors. In particular, textiles and garments, leather and footwear, automobile components, engineering goods and electronics are well positioned to capitalise on the growing opportunities in the UK market. The agreement also facilitates opportunities for securing joint-venture partners and developing new avenues for technological collaboration and investment.
UK-based companies have been operating in Tamil Nadu on a significant scale for several decades in sectors including engineering, financial services and technology. Many of these companies have established manufacturing facilities and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in Tamil Nadu.
Furthermore, under Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister has announced that a world-class ‘Motor Sports City’ will be established in the state, building on Tamil Nadu’s already strong automobile and electric-vehicle manufacturing ecosystem. As part of taking this initiative forward, it would be beneficial to visit leading motor-sports infrastructure facilities around the world and study their best practices, as per the release.
Accordingly, the renowned Silverstone Motor Racing Circuit is scheduled to be visited. This will provide an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the circuit’s design, safety systems and best practices for operating such facilities efficiently and commercially, as well as to explore opportunities in motor-sports infrastructure, sports tourism and specialised automobile industries associated with the sector.
According to the release, the delegation led by the Chief Minister will depart from Chennai today (10 September 2026) and return to Chennai on 17 September 2026. The delegation will include Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Thiru Aadhav Arjuna, Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority (SDAT) Thiru Meghnath Reddy, IAS, and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guidance, the Tamil Nadu investment promotion agency, Thiru Deepak Jacob, IAS, along with government officials. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu CM Vijay embarks on week-long UK visit to attract investments, study Silverstone circuit for planned 'Motor Sports City'
