NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index 2026 ranks Tamil Nadu first among large states on infrastructure, citing its technical talent pool, ports and near-100% MoU conversion rate.
Tamil Nadu has ranked first among large states on the infrastructure pillar of NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index 2026, and third overall with a composite score of 53.3 out of 100 — behind Gujarat (56.6) and Maharashtra (53.7). The report, released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri, is intended to serve as a guiding document for domestic and global investors.
| Rank | State | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gujarat | 56.6 |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 53.7 |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu | 53.3 |
The index credited Tamil Nadu's deep technical talent pool, efficient ports, and reliable power network as key competitive advantages underpinning its first-place infrastructure ranking. It also highlighted the state's extensive network of engineering colleges, industrial training institutes and polytechnics, which the report said has built one of the country's strongest industrial skills ecosystems — supporting sectors from automobiles and electronics to advanced manufacturing.
The report further pointed to Tamil Nadu's business-friendly environment and strong export performance as reinforcing its overall competitiveness for investment, alongside its near-100% record of converting signed memoranda of understanding into actual projects on the ground.
NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index Infrastructure CM Vijay July 21, 2026