Hope Modi govt consults states on US tariffs: Tamil Nadu Industries Minister

Amid the rapidly escalating situation of the US imposing repeated tariffs on Indian goods(initial 25% and an additional 25%), Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa expressed hope that the Prime Minister Modi-led Indian Government would discuss the matter with manufacturing and export powerhouse states such as Tamil Nadu and others. "It is fair that we expect them(Union Government) to talk to us. We would want to give our inputs to the Union, but haven't received the call yet," Rajaa said in Chennai.

Rajaa's remarks come at a time when the Indian Government's revised 2024-25 GDP estimate for Tamil Nadu has shown that the state recorded 11.19%, the highest growth rate in the country. Notably, this double-digit growth has returned to the southern Indian state after a period of 14years.

While Rajaa emphasised that the Stalin-led Tamil Nadu Government completely backs the Modi-led Union Government and their decisions in response to Trump's tariffs, he added that the views of state governments ought to be taken, given that the manufacturing activity and core economic activity take place in the states. He cited data from 2024-25 to mention that Tamil Nadu accounted for 41.23% of India’s total electronics exports, and its value was $14.65billion. In addition to this, he mentioned the state's manufacturing and export prowess in the textiles, automobile and automobile components sectors.

"Tamil Nadu is home to barely 5.9% of the 1.4billion Indian population, and our state contributes 10% of the country's growth," Rajaa said. On the Trump tariffs, he said that he was upset to see the kind of language that the US President was using against India, and how things should not go that way. "The American people elected President Trump, and we respect that. He is doing things for his own country, but the problem is the way he addresses India," Rajaa added.

Rajaa was addressing the Global Capability Centres (GCC) Next Summit in Chennai, supported by Guidance, the state's investment facilitation agency. "Tamil Nadu must become a product-first state. We must build from the front, not follow. And to every company evaluating India, my invitation is open- come test Tamil Nadu, spend time at the Guidance Office, work from here for free, and see the difference."

Referring to Tamil Nadu's success story of achieving double-digit growth in 2024-25, Minister Rajaa owed it to "distributive growth, inclusive politics, and inclusive policy". He said that Tamil Nadu had the unique distinction of a capital city, Chennai, and a host of tier-2 cities contributing to economic growth across multiple domains.