CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay left Chennai on Thursday night for a week-long visit to the United Kingdom to attract fresh investments and strengthen the presence of British companies in the state, besides exploring global best practices for the proposed Motor Sports City. The Chief Minister-led delegation is scheduled to return on September 17.
The visit, Vijay’s first foreign visit after assuming the office of chief minister, will also have a sports and automotive industry component, as he plans to visit the renowned Silverstone Motor Racing Circuit. Meanwhile, the Michelin Le Mans Cup, in its official social media post, said the chief minister will be waving the ceremonial green flag to start the Michelin Le Mans Cup’s Silverstone round in the UK on Saturday.
“The Indian actor and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu will be joining us to support our Indian drivers in the UK and officially start the #SilverstoneRound in front of the 44-car grid,” the post said. The CM’s appearance is particularly significant as actor Ajith Kumar is participating in the endurance racing championship, driving for Ajith RedAnt by Virage.
The state government has said the visit would help Tamil Nadu study international best practices in circuit design, safety systems and the operation of motor sports facilities on an efficient and commercially sustainable basis. Vijay had announced under Rule 110 in the State Assembly that a world-class Motor Sports City would be established in Tamil Nadu, building on the State’s existing automotive and electric vehicle manufacturing ecosystem.
The government hopes that exposure to leading international motor sports facilities will help it assess opportunities not only in motor sports infrastructure but also in sports tourism and specialised automotive industries associated with the sector.
The CM’s UK visit comes against the backdrop of the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which came into force on July 15. Stating that multinational companies from various European countries have proposed investment projects worth about `8,491 crore, with the projects expected to create around 5,690 jobs, a release said British companies have had a significant presence in Tamil Nadu in sectors including engineering, financial services and technology.
PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) Member Secretary Meghanath Reddy, and GuidanceTN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Deepak Jacob are part of the delegation.