CM Vijay departed Chennai at 10 PM on September 10 on his first official overseas visit, travelling via Emirates through Dubai to London. Delegation includes PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna and Industries Minister Keerthana. Programme: investors’ conference, MOU signings, European industrial outreach. Returns Chennai 8 AM September 17 via Dubai.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay departed Chennai at 10 PM on Thursday, September 10, embarking on his first official overseas visit as Chief Minister. He is travelling via Emirates Airlines through Dubai to London, and is scheduled to return to Chennai at 8 AM on September 17, again via Dubai.
| Who | Role |
|---|---|
| CM C. Joseph Vijay | Leads delegation — meets investors, chairs conference |
| Minister Aadhav Arjuna (PWD) | Already in London ahead of Vijay — advance arrangements |
| SDAT Member Secretary Meghanath Reddy | Sports and youth affairs — Silverstone / Motor Sports City context |
| Guidance Tamil Nadu MD & CEO Deepak Jacob | Leads investment facilitation meetings |
| Senior IAS officials | Industries, Finance, Infrastructure departments |
The London visit has three main components:
The London visit builds on the government's Vettri Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave 2026 held in Chennai on August 13, where 104 MoUs worth ₹1,02,514 crore were signed. Even before this visit, multinational companies from European countries had already proposed investment projects worth ₹8,491 crore, expected to create employment for 5,690 people — signalling growing pre-visit interest. The UK trip aims to convert further European investor interest into firm commitments.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), in force since July 15, 2026, provides the commercial backbone. Tamil Nadu was among the first states to leverage the pact — dispatching its first export consignment to the UK on the very first day CETA came into force. The visit focuses on advanced manufacturing, automobiles and electric vehicles, electronics, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), engineering, textiles and leather.
Vijay's focus is also on British companies already present in Tamil Nadu — in engineering, financial services and technology — and encouraging them to expand operations further. Note: Vijay did not use the VVIP gate at Chennai Airport when departing on September 10 — a deliberate personal signal widely reported.
Upon arriving in London, members of the Tamil diaspora gathered with TVK flags to welcome CM Vijay — the first time a Tamil Nadu CM leading an investment mission had received such a community reception in the UK. Vijay left Chennai on Thursday night, reached Dubai around midnight, and continued to London. At Chennai airport on departure, a large number of fans gathered; Vijay frequently stopped to make heart-hands gestures at the crowd.
One of the most discussed aspects of the London visit is Vijay's attendance at the Michelin Le Mans Cup at Silverstone Circuit (September 11–12), where actor Ajith Kumar is competing as a racing driver. The delegation's SDAT (Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu) Member Secretary Meghanath Reddy is part of the team — directly linking the visit to Tamil Nadu's Motor Sports City proposal announced on September 3 in the Assembly.
The Vijay-Ajith meeting at Silverstone carries enormous cultural weight — they were the two dominant stars of Tamil cinema for nearly two decades, often cast as rivals in media narratives. Their meeting at an international motorsport venue, with Vijay as Chief Minister and Ajith as a competitive racing driver, is both a personal moment and a political signal about Tamil Nadu's motorsport ambitions.
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim's visit to Chennai on September 13 (after the BRICS Summit) coincided with Vijay's London schedule. Tamil Nadu protocol officers and state officials received Ibrahim at Lok Bhavan, Chennai. Vijay, on his official overseas visit, was not present for the bilateral — though the diplomatic groundwork laid by his May 22 call with Ibrahim and the broader India-Malaysia relationship framework covered the visit.