CM Stalin meets UK minister Catherine West to explore enhanced Tamil Nadu-UK collaboration

London [UK], September 4 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, during his ongoing TN Rising Europe investment drive, met Catherine West, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Indo-Pacific) at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to discuss opportunities for enhanced collaboration between Tamil Nadu and the United Kingdom.

The meeting focused on exploring deeper cooperation across a range of strategic areas, as part of efforts to strengthen ties and promote mutual growth between the Indian state and the UK.

During his London visit, CM Stalin also signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), including with Wilson Power (Rs 300 crore investment) and Britannia RFID (Rs 520 crore investment).

On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister signed four more agreements with the University of Exeter, French design school Ecole Intuit Lab, Lloyd's List, and Rolls-Royce.

Sharing updates on X, Stalin called them "six strategic wins" for Tamil Nadu. He wrote, "Six strategic wins for Tamil Nadu in London today, powering growth, innovation and future readiness. Our agreements with Wilson Power and Britannia RFID will boost our renewable energy industry and improve the competitiveness of exporters from Western Tamil Nadu."

He added that partnerships with the University of Exeter and the French design school Ecole Intuit Lab will empower the youth, while Lloyd's List will boost the state's presence in the shipping and maritime sector. "We also facilitated partnerships with the University of Exeter and Ecole Intuit Lab that will empower our youth with niche capabilities. And, Lloyd's List Intelligence will undoubtedly boost our initiatives in the shipping and maritime sector," he wrote on X.

"The icing on the cake was the engagement with Rolls-Royce. We hope to complement its pioneering presence in the aerospace and defence sectors with our heft in manufacturing," the X post read.

According to a statement by Tamil Nadu government's nodal agency 'Guidance', Rolls-Royce has confirmed expansion plans for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO), research and development (R&D), and expansion of International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL) in Hosur.

Lloyd's List will expand its Global Capability Centre in Chennai, creating 200 new jobs, and reinforcing Tamil Nadu's critical role in maritime analytics and the Blue Economy.

Wilson Power will invest Rs 300 crore in a transformer unit for renewables, creating 543 jobs, while Britannia RFID will invest Rs 520 crore in Tiruppur and Namakkal for RFID manufacturing, enabling supply chain traceability and 550 jobs, the statement said.

Ecole Intuit Lab and Sakthi Excellence Academy will establish a design institution in Coimbatore, and the University of Exeter will foster research, faculty exchange, and knowledge partnerships.

Earlier on Tuesday, MK Stalin, during his visit to Germany, described Tamil Nadu and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany's economic powerhouse, as two regions united by a shared vision for the future.

Stalin announced that 26 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 7,020 crore were signed, which will aim to create over 15,000 new jobs in the state.

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