Excl: Tamil Nadu steps up AI ambitions with Tamil-language model plans

 

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
Tamil Nadu is exploring the development of large language models tailored for Tamil computing, while stepping up investments in graphics processing infrastructure and overseas academic partnerships as part of a wider push to position the state as a regional hub for artificial intelligence.

Pradeep Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary and secretary to the state’s newly expanded Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services department, said the government was working towards creating Tamil-language AI tools, datasets and digital public infrastructure amid rising global interest in vernacular AI ecosystems.

The initiative marks one of the clearest signals yet of the state’s ambition to build sovereign language AI capabilities at a time when policymakers across India are seeking to reduce dependence on English-centric models dominated by global technology companies.

“We are looking at tie-ups with many organisations, including the National University of Singapore,” Yadav told The New Indian Express. He added that the state-run Tamil Virtual Academy was already engaged in Tamil computing projects and would play a role in expanding Tamil-language AI resources.

The push comes as governments and technology firms increasingly recognise that the next phase of AI adoption in countries such as India will depend on the availability of models trained in regional languages for use in governance, education and public services.

Tamil Nadu is also seeking to strengthen its computing backbone to support the initiative. Yadav said the state already possessed GPU capacity and was exploring further investments to scale up AI infrastructure. Discussions are also under way with AI start-up Sarvam AI as part of the state’s broader strategy to deepen Tamil-language computing and indigenous AI capabilities.

Graphics Processing Units, or GPUs, are specialised processors capable of handling large-scale parallel computations and form the backbone of modern artificial intelligence systems. Originally designed for gaming and graphics applications, GPUs are now essential for training and deploying large language models because they process AI workloads significantly faster than conventional central processing units.

The state’s plans come even as Tamil Nadu has yet to formally implement the Union government’s National AI Mission, approved in 2024 with an outlay of about ₹10,300 crore. The programme aims to create large-scale GPU computing infrastructure, support Indian AI start-ups, develop indigenous large language models and build public AI datasets and platforms.

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writingonblog uncensored: Tamil Nadu eyes strategic role in India’s airborne...

writingonblog uncensored: Tamil Nadu eyes strategic role in India’s airborne...:   C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has sharpened its bid to emerge as a strategic hub in India’s next-generation aerospace and defence a...

Tamil Nadu eyes strategic role in India’s airborne warfare ecosystem

 

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
Tamil Nadu has sharpened its bid to emerge as a strategic hub in India’s next-generation aerospace and defence architecture, leveraging the success of indigenous airborne surveillance platforms such as the Netra airborne early warning system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) to press for a larger share of the country’s high-value defence research and development infrastructure.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pressed for the establishment of CABS in Tamil Nadu, as the state seeks a bigger role in India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem.

During the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi, Vijay said discussions had been under way for the past few years with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on setting up the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Design and Development Centre and the Centre for Airborne Systems in Tamil Nadu. He specifically urged the Centre to locate the CABS facility in the state.

The renewed lobbying comes after key infrastructure linked to India’s proposed fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme was steered towards Andhra Pradesh, despite Tamil Nadu’s long-standing engagement with DRDO.

The latest push centres on the proposed expansion of CABS, the DRDO laboratory that serves as the lead integration agency for India’s airborne surveillance and electronic warfare systems, including the indigenous Netra airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Sources said Tamil Nadu is attempting to leverage its manufacturing base, electronics ecosystem and aviation infrastructure around Hosur and Chennai to attract future aerospace programmes linked to airborne surveillance, advanced radar systems and combat aircraft development.

The indigenous Netra Mk1 platform — developed by CABS, a DRDO lab for the Indian Air Force — has emerged as one of India’s most significant domestically developed airborne surveillance systems. Mounted on a Brazilian Embraer ERJ-145 jet, the aircraft functions as a flying command-and-control centre capable of tracking hostile aircraft, coordinating strike missions and enhancing battlefield awareness in real time.

The aircraft uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar mounted above the fuselage, giving it wide-area aerial surveillance capability. Sources said the platform can detect targets at ranges exceeding 250 km, while upgraded variants under development are expected to significantly enhance both range and coverage.

The push also comes as CABS plans to expand beyond its existing limited infrastructure, which currently caters to three aircraft, to support six Netra Mk1A and six Netra Mk2 aircraft. Tamil Nadu has been lobbying DRDO for several years to establish the expanded CABS facility in Hosur, according to official sources.

"Such a project would not only strengthen India’s air defence capability but also transform Tamil Nadu’s aerospace and defence ecosystem by generating high-technology jobs and deepening local manufacturing capability. They say Hosur could evolve into a defence and aviation hub similar to Bengaluru and Hyderabad, while also strengthening the supply chain for aerospace electronics, avionics and systems integration. Sources added that a single Netra Mk1 aircraft costs roughly ₹2,000 crore to build, underlining the scale of economic activity associated with the programme," sources said.

The Netra Mk1A is expected to substantially increase surveillance range, while the larger Netra Mk2 — planned on an Airbus A321 platform — aims to provide near-360-degree coverage with detection capability extending beyond 500 km. Tamil Nadu officials argue that Hosur is well positioned to host future aerospace and defence expansion because of its proximity to Bengaluru’s aerospace cluster, its existing electronics manufacturing base and its earlier association with DRDO flight-testing activity. The region previously hosted unmanned aerial vehicle test operations linked to DRDO’s Rustom programme.

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai airport plans second passenger terminal, c...

writingonblog uncensored: Chennai airport plans second passenger terminal, c...:       C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to develop an additional passenger terminal and cargo infr...

Chennai airport plans second passenger terminal, cargo hub under expansion strategy on other side of runway

 

 

 

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to develop an additional passenger terminal and cargo infrastructure on the other side of the runway at Chennai International Airport, while retaining the existing cargo terminal, signalling a broader long-term expansion strategy for the airport, according to Chennai Airport Director M Raja Kishore.

He was responding to a proposal from the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), which had suggested shifting cargo operations to the rear side of the airport campus as part of a logistics revamp and an alternative cargo access corridor from the Chennai Bypass.

Kishore said a complete relocation of cargo facilities was not operationally feasible because around 60 per cent of freight handled at Chennai airport moves as “belly cargo” in passenger aircraft.

“Cargo operations are not an independent activity. So shifting cargo operations completely to the other side is not fully viable,” he said in response to queries.

Instead, authorities are examining the possibility of creating an additional cargo hub on the rear side of the airport campus while continuing operations at the existing terminal, he added.

CUMTA had proposed a 5.2-km alternative road connectivity to improve cargo movement and suggested that relocating cargo facilities could free up land for apron expansion and potentially help the airport handle up to 35 million passengers in the future.

Kishore, however, said the projection linked to vacating the existing cargo terminal area was “not viable” under current operational requirements.

“As it is in the conceptual stage, approvals and junction connectivity with NHAI (NH-32), Adyar river flow management, and land acquisition, if any below the shadow region of the flyover, need to be assessed going forward, based on the outcome and decision of the Government of Tamil Nadu,” he added.

The proposal forms part of CUMTA’s proposed 10-year City Logistics Plan aimed at streamlining freight movement across the Chennai Metropolitan Area.

According to CUMTA officials, a significant share of Chennai’s commercial air cargo originates from western industrial clusters such as Thirumudivakkam and Irungattukottai. Under the proposal, closed-body trucks carrying cargo would move from the Outer Ring Road via Anakaputhur to the proposed cargo complex on the western side of the airport.

Sources said the proposed connector road is expected to handle 200-250 trucks carrying nearly 700 tonnes of air cargo daily.

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writingonblog uncensored: Can Tamil Nadu Retain Its Edge After Political Tra...

writingonblog uncensored: Can Tamil Nadu Retain Its Edge After Political Tra...: C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s industrial story is entering a high-stakes political transition. After five years of aggressively pos...

Can Tamil Nadu Retain Its Edge After Political Transition?

C Shivakumar @ CHENNAI:
Tamil Nadu’s industrial story is entering a high-stakes political transition. After five years of aggressively positioning itself as India’s factory floor and investment magnet, the change in government has shifted attention from headline investment pledges to a tougher question: can the new administration under Chief Minister Joseph Vijay preserve investor confidence while crafting its own economic identity?

The challenge comes at a sensitive moment. States across India are locked in an increasingly fierce contest for global capital, manufacturing supply chains and export-led growth.

Over the past five years, Tamil Nadu emerged as one of India’s most aggressive industrial destinations, with the Industries Department and Guidance Tamil Nadu driving investments in electronics, renewable energy, automobiles and export-oriented manufacturing. Between 2021 and 2026, the state signed 1,179 memoranda of understanding involving proposed investments of ₹12.37 lakh crore and potential employment for 36.52 lakh people, according to official data.

Industry executives say the new government’s first few months will be closely watched for signals on policy continuity, approvals, infrastructure delivery and electricity pricing.

“Mature governments build on continuity rather than disruption,” said M Ponnuswami, co-chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s  National Taskforce on Ease of Doing Business. He said faster planning approvals would be crucial to sustaining investor confidence. He also said the state should push for time-bound environmental clearances.

Ponnuswami also pointed to mounting concerns over rising power costs and the need for reforms at Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation. “Neighbouring states are competing aggressively for investments," he said highlighting the cost of power for industries coming down in other states.

For manufacturers, continuity matters as much as incentives. Kumar Subramaniam, chief executive of Kaynes Circuits, said investors would study whether the new administration retained the policy direction of its predecessor.

“In Tamil Nadu there has traditionally been continuity across governments. Industry expects that to continue,” he said. “What investors will watch for now is whether the new government introduces a fresh industrial policy that indicates its priorities and long-term direction.”

The industrial roadmap outlined by the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam attempts to signal both continuity and strategic recalibration. The party has set a target of transforming Tamil Nadu into a $1.5trillion economy by 2036 while promising faster ease-of-doing-business reforms and accelerated infrastructure creation.

Its manifesto proposes “Industry Transformation Maps” for 20 high-growth sectors and industrial development centres aimed at expanding public-private partnerships. It also seeks to deepen Tamil Nadu’s export orientation through an “EnterpriseTNPlan” focused on clusters such as Tiruppur textiles, Vellore leather goods, Chennai auto components and Erode jewellery.

The administration is also attempting to address growing stress among micro, small and medium enterprises, many of which have struggled with higher electricity tariffs, uneven power supply and tighter credit conditions. The manifesto proposes a ₹15,000 crore state-backed fund to provide low-interest support for distressed MSMEs.

“Policy certainty is now the real competitive advantage,” said Arun Alagappan of South India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI). He said Tamil Nadu remained one of India’s strongest industrial and export-driven economies but sustaining competitiveness in a technology-led and climate-sensitive global economy would require continuous policy reforms, infrastructure investments and deeper government-industry coordination.

He has urged the government to raise manufacturing’s share of the state economy from about 20 per cent to 25 per cent by promoting sunrise sectors such as drones, semiconductors, green hydrogen and space technology.

For investors, however, the larger issue extends beyond announcements. Tamil Nadu’s industrial transition will ultimately be judged not by the scale of promises, but by whether the new government can preserve the state’s reputation as one of India’s most dependable manufacturing destinations.