New Delhi: A chance dinner meeting in the capital earlier this month has set in motion an ambitious economic partnership between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with both southern states now working on a joint roadmap for industrial growth, digital governance and cross-border logistics. Barely a fortnight after Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa and his Kerala counterpart P Rajeev met on the sidelines of the Udyog Samagam 2025 in Delhi on November 11, senior ministers and top officials of the two governments convened in Chennai on November 25 for the first formal round of talks.
Rajaa said the initiative reflects a broader shift in how states pursue development, arguing that cooperation between strong states can produce stronger outcomes for the country as a whole. He described the emerging framework as a “collaborative, positive and results-focused” model of inter-state cooperation and said the discussions with Kerala cover potential partnerships in areas such as start-ups, artificial intelligence, multimodal logistics parks, tourism-led investments and jobs, research and development and shared industrial parks.
Rajeev said Kerala is keen on the collaboration, pointing to possible tie-ups involving projects of the Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (KELTRON) and a basket of start-up ideas proposed from Tamil Nadu. Officials on both sides indicated that the talks are at an exploratory stage but signal a shift towards treating inter-state engagement as a long-term economic strategy rather than a symbolic political gesture.
Even as the agenda widens, Tamil Nadu has moved quickly to draw a firm line on one contentious subject: mining. With Assembly elections only months away, the state has made it clear that no rare earth or other mining will be permitted under the partnership, citing an existing ban framework and conditions already in force, and has conveyed that position unequivocally to its counterpart in Kerala.