Chennai: The inauguration of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, three days ago, appears to have generated positive results, with around 35 companies from the state already signing transfer of technology agreements with DRDO. These include MRF, which manufactures aero-muscle tyre indigenously developed for Sukhoi fighter jets of the Indian Air Force, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, informed.

Inaugurating the second edition of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet here on Wednesday Mr Palaniswami said “LMW is establishing an aerospace and defence components manufacturing unit in Coimbatore. Many more such projects are on the anvil.”

To encourage aerospace and defence manufacturing, the State government has promoted an exclusive aerospace and defence park in 250 acres which can be expanded to 700 acres in Sriperumpudur, which is both an automobile and components and Electronics hub, he said.

“Tamil Nadu was also ranked first in terms of law and order maintenance, first in tourism, second in infrastructure, third in inclusive development, third in education, third in entrepreneurship,” the CM added. Another research organisation called “Public Affairs Centre” in Bengaluru had published an index called Public Affairs Index (PAI-2017), wherein Tamil Nadu was ranked second in terms of overall performance, first in terms of law and order and delivery of justice and environment.

“I am giving a snapshot of recent facts published by Government of India organisations like CSO and DIPP on Tamil Nadu’s performance: Tamil Nadu is the second largest economy in India, first in terms of number of factories, first in number of workers employed in the factories sector and first in terms of number of operational and exporting SEZs, with 38 SEZs,” the CM said.