Rolls Royce signals major expansion in TN; Plans to set up MRO facility

CHENNAI:

Engineering giant Rolls-Royce has signalled a major expansion of its presence in southern India, as Tamil Nadu secured a series of high-profile investment commitments from UK-based firms across aerospace, clean energy, maritime intelligence and textile technology.

The announcement came during the UK leg of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s European investment tour, which aims to reposition the state as a global hub for innovation-led manufacturing and services. The trip marks one of the first proactive state-level campaigns to leverage opportunities under the proposed India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s foremost aerospace and defence technology companies, said it intends to scale up operations in the state with plans for a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility, a research and development centre, and a training institute. It will also expand its existing joint venture, International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL), in Hosur.

Tamil Nadu, which hosts one of India’s two Defence Industrial Corridors, has in recent years positioned itself as a nucleus for precision engineering and high-value manufacturing. The agreement with Rolls-Royce is seen as a key validation of its strategy to become a key node in global aerospace supply chains.

Further investment came from Wilson Power & Distribution Technologies, which announced a ₹300 crore (£28m) project to build a new electric transformer manufacturing facility in the state. With nearly 90% of its output destined for renewable energy applications, the project will support Tamil Nadu’s efforts to become a national leader in clean-tech manufacturing. The facility is expected to generate 543 new jobs.

In the maritime sector, Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a leading provider of vessel tracking, maritime risk analytics and insurance data, signed an MoU to expand its Global Capability Centre in Chennai, creating 200 jobs by FY2026. The firm’s flagship platform, Seasearcher, provides real-time visibility into global shipping movements, port infrastructure, and ownership structures — tools that align well with Tamil Nadu’s ambitions in port-led development and its Blue Economy strategy.

Textiles, a mainstay of Tamil Nadu’s export economy, also featured prominently. UK-based Britannia Garment Packaging — through its Indian subsidiary Britannia RFID Technologies — will invest ₹520 crore to set up a high-capacity RFID tag manufacturing unit in Tiruppur and Namakkal, creating 550 jobs. The project will support supply chain digitisation and traceability in the garment sector, where global buyers increasingly demand real-time logistics visibility and ethical sourcing data.

The state also inked agreements in education and design. French-origin creative institute École Intuit Lab will partner with Sakthi Excellence Academy to launch a new design-focused higher education institution in Coimbatore, aimed at nurturing creative professionals across branding, media and innovation sectors.

Separately, the University of Exeter signed a partnership with Tamil Nadu to promote joint research, faculty exchanges, and collaborative academic programmes in priority disciplines — an initiative that reflects the state’s growing interest in knowledge-based economic development.