CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday welcomed the India–European Union trade deal, saying industry representatives from western Tamil Nadu had expressed strong confidence in its potential to boost industrial growth and exports.

In a statement, Palaniswami said industrialists from Erode, Tirupur, Coimbatore and nearby districts had personally contacted him to convey their enthusiasm over the agreement and outlined the wide-ranging benefits it could bring to sectors such as textiles, engineering and manufacturing.

He said stakeholders believed the BJP-led Union government would continue to pursue growth-oriented reforms to strengthen India’s position in global trade. He added that there was also confidence that a future AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu would effectively complement these initiatives by creating a strong, investor-friendly and trade-friendly ecosystem in the State.

Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government, Palaniswami described the agreement as a landmark achievement and termed it the “mother of all deals”, highlighting its long-term significance for India’s economy and Tamil Nadu’s industrial development.