Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Tuesday that the state is aiming to attract investments worth Rs 75,000 crore in the aerospace and defence sectors by 2032 and called on global players not to delay decisions on setting up operations.
Inaugurating the three-day AeroDefCon’25 at the Chennai Trade Centre, Stalin added that Tamil Nadu was “ready and investment-ready in every district”.
The Chief Minister added, “Our government will always stand by armed forces personnel, scientists, industrial entrepreneurs and investors. The Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor has become a turning point for this sector, and I wish for the state to become a national manufacturing hub.”
He noted that the state had taken significant steps to make defence manufacturing a growth driver, including new industrial policies, integrated logistics support and infrastructure for high-technology industries.
“The Defence Industrial Corridor is set to play a key role in the future,” he said.
State Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa said that the scale of AeroDefCon’25 reflected Tamil Nadu’s commitment to becoming a global hub for aerospace, defence and strategic industries.
“We have brought together about 3,000 delegates from 18 countries, who will take part in more than 5,500 B2B meetings,” he added.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Director-General (Electronics and Communication Systems), B.K. Das, lauded Tamil Nadu’s efforts.
“Standing here on behalf of DRDO, I can assure you that we stand by you. Together we synergise and can make the country great,” he said.
Indian Coast Guard Director-General Paramesh Sivamani said that Tamil Nadu had rapidly emerged as a leader in aerospace, defence and even space technologies.
“The Chief Minister’s statement that every dot on Tamil Nadu’s map is investment-ready is not just aspirational; it is already being realised,” he added.
Stephane-Pierre Castet, BCI Aerospace CEO, which has held similar events in Italy, Brazil, Poland and the Czech Republic, said that Chennai was hosting such a high-level industry matchmaking platform for the first time.
“Our mission is to help small and medium-sized companies identify new partners,” he said.
Senior leaders and officials, including Ministers T.M. Anbarasan, Sriperumbudur MP T.R. Baalu, senior Navy and Air Force officers, and top defence entrepreneurs were present at the inaugural session.
(IANS)
