Did CM Stalin's Europe Visit Lead to Rs 15,516 Crore in Investments?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 26 MoUs signed in Germany worth Rs 7,020 crore.
- Over 15,300 jobs expected from investments.
- Major commitments from Knorr-Bremse and Nordex Group.
- Skill development collaboration initiated with German institutions.
- UK investments include Hinduja Group's Rs 7,500 crore project.
Chennai, Sep 7 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, has successfully concluded his journey across Germany and the UK, a trip he describes as both emotionally enriching and financially beneficial.
In a post shared on X, he expressed how the adventure began with the enthusiastic welcome from Tamils in Germany and ended in London with heartfelt farewells.
“I return home carrying a treasure trove of memories filled with immense love. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to my Tamil community, who treated me like family during this trip,” he stated.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, the primary goal of this international tour was to attract new industrial investments to Tamil Nadu, and the results have been remarkable.
In Germany, CM Stalin secured 26 Memorandums of Understanding totaling Rs 7,020 crore, which are expected to create over 15,300 employment opportunities.
Key commitments included Knorr-Bremse, which committed Rs 2,000 crore for a new facility focused on railway braking and door systems, generating 3,500 jobs, and Nordex Group, which is set to invest Rs 1,000 crore in wind turbine manufacturing, bringing in 2,500 jobs. Additionally, ebm-papst announced a Rs 201 crore expansion plan in the HVAC and automotive sectors. Companies like Vensys Energy, BASF, Bella Premier Happy Hygiene, Herrenknecht India, Puls, Witzenmann India, and Mash Energy collectively pledged over Rs 3,800 crore, anticipating the creation of over 9,000 jobs.
BMW reaffirmed its confidence in Tamil Nadu's automobile sector, and a partnership for skill development was established with German institutions, starting with 120 students and aiming to scale to 20,000 over the coming years.
The UK segment of the tour further bolstered Tamil Nadu's investment landscape. The Hinduja Group signed an MoU for a project worth Rs 7,500 crore in electric vehicle cell and battery manufacturing, energy storage, and charging infrastructure, with a potential for 1,000 jobs.
Global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has committed Rs 176 crore to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Chennai, marking its third investment in the state within two years.
Other notable agreements included Britannia RFID Technologies India investing Rs 520 crore for an RFID manufacturing facility in Tiruppur-Namakkal, creating 550 jobs, Wilson Power's Rs 300 crore investment in transformer production, generating 543 jobs, and Lloyd’s List Intelligence expanding its Global Capability Centre in Chennai, leading to 200 jobs.
Tamil Nadu has also established partnerships with educational and design institutions such as the University of Exeter and Ecole Intuit Lab, while discussions with Rolls-Royce have opened avenues in the aerospace sector.
In total, CM Stalin's European visit has attracted investments amounting to Rs 15,516 crore, promising over 17,600 jobs across various sectors including green energy, automotive, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics, and defence.