Tamil Nadu
Where a dam built in the second century still waters the fields, and where India’s top-ranked institute trains its engineers.
- Policy
- Incentives tied to employment in capability centres
- Cities
- Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli
- Delegation
- State delegationAn invitation has gone out. No name is shown until it is accepted.
Then and now
Then
Kallanai, the Grand Anicut, was built across the Kaveri river by the Chola king Karikala around 150 CE. It still does its work. That makes it the oldest water-regulating structure in India still in use, and one of the oldest in the world.
Now
IIT Madras, in Chennai, was ranked first overall in India’s national rankings every year from 2019 to 2025. Around it the state builds cars, electronics and software for the world. Engineering has been a habit here for eighteen centuries.
Policy
Tamil Nadu supports capability centres through incentives tied to the people they employ. A CBRE review in August 2026 notes that the state has introduced specialised incentives for GCC employees. The current terms, and how a centre qualifies for them, will be confirmed with the state delegation.
CBRE, The Policy Advantage, as reported by People Matters, 20 August 2026. (Opens in a new tab) National Institutional Ranking Framework, 2025. (Opens in a new tab)
Cities
- Chennai
- The state capital: automotive, electronics, software and a major port
- Coimbatore
- Engineering and textiles
- Madurai
- An ancient city with a growing technology base
- Tiruchirappalli
- Heavy engineering and education
At the pavilion
The Tamil Nadu delegation will show the region’s centres and industries, its policy and incentives, its talent and universities, its infrastructure and its plans. Details will be published when the delegation confirms.
Culture and cuisine
Chennai is a UNESCO Creative City of Music, and every December it holds a season of Carnatic concerts. The state holds the Great Living Chola Temples and the shore monuments of Mahabalipuram. Expect Bharatanatyam, bronze cast by the lost-wax method, Kanchipuram silk, and a meal on a banana leaf that ends with filter coffee.
Meet the delegation
An invitation has gone out. No name is shown until it is accepted.
State participation is by invitation. When the Tamil Nadu delegation confirms, its members and briefing times will be listed here. Delegates can ask for a meeting in advance, and an Explorer’s meetings are arranged by their Navigator.
Facts on this page come from published policy and the sources named beside them. They will be reviewed with the state delegation.