Tamil Nadu CM to Lead UK Investment Drive in First Foreign Visit

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to travel to the United Kingdom on September 10, marking his first foreign visit since assuming office. The week-long tour, concluding on September 16, will focus on a series of investor meetings aimed at attracting industrial investments to the state.

The outreach comes as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh compete intensely for major industrial and capital projects in southern India. Government sources indicate the state is simultaneously engaging other global manufacturing hubs, with a delegation led by Minister Keerthana heading to Taiwan on September 4 for the Semicon conference.

The UK visit takes place against the backdrop of the newly operational UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into effect on 15 July 2026. Bilateral trade between the two nations reached GBP 48 billion in 2025, and the new framework is expected to accelerate commercial exchanges.

Under the agreement, 99 per cent of Indian goods entering the UK and 90 per cent of UK goods entering India will benefit from duty-free access or significantly reduced tariffs. Key sectors including automotive, manufacturing, consumer goods, creative industries, and medical technology stand to gain from the tariff reductions.

Long-term projections suggest the pact could expand bilateral trade by GBP 25.5 billion annually, contributing GBP 5.1 billion to India's GDP and GBP 4.8 billion to the UK's GDP each year.