That recognition built over decades, now presents an opportunity to move beyond manufacturing leadership into technology and innovation ownership. “If you say India, people immediately ask if it is Tamil Nadu,” highlighted Dr. J Rafiq Ahmed, Executive Chairman, Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd. The state’s strength lies in its people. Tamil Nadu and more broadly India has an unmatched youth population and a vast pool of engineers, technicians and skilled workers. Yet manpower alone will not secure leadership. What Tamil Nadu needs is combining local talent with global expertise. This is where international collaboration becomes essential. “Just buying, seeing and talking won’t create an international brand. We need international knowledge,” pointed out Dr. Rafiq Ahmed.
Creating Global Brands
Collaborations with global universities, research centres and design institutes are therefore critical. While countries such as the United States, China and even smaller European nations own internationally recognised brands, India largely remains in the backend. “If you talk about an international brand that India owns, you can’t find anything. Even Sweden, a small country, owns many international brands,” pointed out Dr. Rafiq Ahmed. His own collaboration with institutions such as Italy’s Institute for Universal Art and Design reflect a larger vision of bringing international design and technology standards into Tamil Nadu to create globally competitive products.
Investors Are Choosing Tamil Nadu
Unlike many regions that actively chase foreign investors, global companies increasingly approach Tamil Nadu directly. Across sectors from manufacturing and electronics to technology and design, multinational firms see the state as a natural entry point into India. This investor confidence is rooted in policy clarity, infrastructure readiness and a track record of delivery. However, Dr Rafiq Ahmed cautioned that competition among Indian states is intensifying. “In this environment, Tamil Nadu’s advantage will depend less on announcements and more on timely execution,” stressed Dr. Rafiq Ahmed. He furthered that time discipline was fundamental to credibility and completing even small commitments builds trust with investors and partners.
With AI impacting all spheres of economy, Dr. Rafiq Ahmed stressed that it would redefine employment. He pointed out to robotic factories in China, where workers with basic education operate advanced systems. In fact, technological change could work decisively in Tamil Nadu’s favour. Strong technical education ecosystem coupled with AI offers a chance to upgrade skills and productivity across sectors. Even the tightening of overseas opportunities can open a gateway for the state to retain and attract talent. Engineers who once built products abroad can now build them in Tamil Nadu, as Indian products. They can work towards ownership, innovation and global market access from within the state. “India has started growing and the flight has taken off. Nobody can stop this. Tamil Nadu, with its talent, technology ambition and global outlook, is well positioned to be at the forefront of that journey,” concluded Dr. Rafiq Ahmed. n
