TN taking its flight as hub in aerospace, defence sectors: CM Stalin

Chennai, Oct 7 (PTI) Tamil Nadu is taking its flight as an aerospace and defence innovation hub of India, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Tuesday.

The State has secured investments of Rs 23,000 crore in the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, he said, after inaugurating a Conclave on Aerospace and Defence Sectors 2025 here, organised by the Industries department.

"With the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor's Rs 23,000 crore investments, advanced UAV systems, frontier aerospace research and strong integration into global supply chains, Tamil Nadu is taking its flight as the aerospace, space and defence innovation hub of India," he said.

Aimed at boosting investments and to provide an opportunity for industries to explore the sectors, for the first time, the industries department has organised the AeroDefCon 2025.

The Chief Minister said, "This is not just an exhibition. It is a platform to identify new industries, manufacturers and form collaborations with them." Observing that Tamil Nadu has been making a mark in every industry in the State, he said, "The State is becoming a leader in the manufacturing sector.

"Do you know that Tamil Nadu accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the total automobile exports from the country?" he asked.

Nearly two-thirds of the total electric vehicles produced in the country are from Tamil Nadu, he said.

Giving statistics, he said Tamil Nadu ranks first among states in electronics exports from India, and its worth stood at USD 14.6 billion in FY 2024-25. The state is also home to over 45,000 industries, he said.

Later, in a social media post, Stalin shared some of the images of the conference, and said, "Inaugurated the AeroDefCon2025, a global confluence of 300 plus enterprises, 1,000 plus delegates and 8,000 business-to-business meetings." PTI VIJ VIJ ADB