Vijay prepares for first overseas trip as chief minister to woo investments
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom on September 11 for a four-day visit aimed at attracting investment to the state.
During the trip, Vijay is expected to participate in the signing of memoranda of understanding with potential investors. The visit will be his first overseas tour since he assumed office as chief minister in May.
Officials familiar with the preparations said the state government has received clearance from the Union Ministry of External Affairs. Details about the companies involved and the proposed MoUs are expected to be announced shortly.
Vijay is likely to be accompanied by officials from Guidance Tamil Nadu, the state’s investment promotion agency under the Industries, Investment Promotion and Commerce Department, along with senior secretaries.
The government has so far kept the visit relatively low-profile as the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s budget session is underway and is scheduled to conclude on September 8. An official announcement is expected before the chief minister’s departure.
Former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami was the first Tamil Nadu chief minister to undertake an overseas investment drive, travelling to the UK, US and UAE in 2019. During the previous DMK administration, Chief Minister M K Stalin also visited several countries, including Singapore, Japan, Spain, the US, Germany and the UK, as part of efforts to secure investments for Tamil Nadu.