Tuticorin: The India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will benefit Tamil Nadu’s youth, MSMEs, and startups, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Tuticorin airport, where he launched infrastructure projects worth more than than 4,800 crore across southern Tamil Nadu on Saturday. Among the major projects unveiled was the ₹450 crore airport terminal designed to handle 20 lakh passengers annually.”Following the FTA, 99% of Indian products sold in the UK will be tax-free, boosting Indian manufacturing and creating new opportunities. The agreement will serve as a catalyst for industries rooted in Tamil Nadu’s traditional strengths, ranging from handlooms to seafood exports,” he said addressing the gathering at the airport.Modi said Tamil Nadu is witnessing unprecedented development under the NDA regime. “Infrastructure and energy form the backbone of any state’s development. Over the past eleven years, the sustained focus on these sectors reflects the priority accorded to Tamil Nadu’s progress,” he said. The PM said that ₹3 lakh crore was devolved to Tamil Nadu as central taxes over the past 11 years, nearly three times what was allotted under the previous UPA regime.The PM unveiled the four-laning of the 50km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch on NH-36; the six-laning of the 5.16km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road; and the commissioning of North Cargo Berth–III at V O Chidambaranar Port. He also flagged off three railway infrastructure upgrades — doubling of the Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil and Tirunelveli–Melappalayam lines, and electrification of the Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line. He laid the foundation for a ₹550 crore 765 kV transmission corridor project to evacuate power from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4. “This new terminal building of the Tuticorin airport will become a game changer for commerce and connectivity in the southern part of Tamil Nadu in particular,” Modi said.Modi said the global perception of India has shifted significantly. “Today, the world sees its own growth in India’s growth,” he said. Recalling India’s success in Operation Sindoor, he said, “You all recently witnessed the power of Make in India during Operation Sindoor. Made-in-India weapons played a crucial role in reducing terror hideouts to rubble. Even today, arms manufactured in India continue to shake the sleep of those who shelter terrorism.”He said the NDA govt prioritised the coastal economy, ensuring inclusive development. “Tamil Nadu’s growth is a vital component of our vision for a Viksit Bharat,” he said.Modi also invoked the memories of freedom fighters and poets including V O Chidambaranar, Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Alagumuthu Kone, and Subramania Bharati. Drawing attention to the region’s ancient maritime legacy, Modi recalled gifting Tuticorin pearls to Bill Gates, who was “highly impressed by their quality.”The Prime Minister arrived at Tuticorin airport around 7.45 pm and was received by governor R N Ravi, Union ministers L Murugan and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Tamil Nadu finance minister Thangam Thennarasu and industries minister TRB Rajaa. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, DMK MP Kanimozhi, AIADMK MLA Thalavai N Sundaram, were present. Modi was clad in a white kurta and a veshti, paired with a traditional angavastram. Thangam Thennarasu presented a replica of the iconic Valluvar Kottam to the Prime Minister as a memento.Thousands of people from across the region gathered for the event. The Prime Minister opened his speech in Tamil with a booming “Vanakkam,” and spoke for nearly 40 minutes. In a symbolic moment at the end of his address, Modi invited the crowd to participate in a light tribute to the new terminal. “Open your mobile phones and turn on the flashlight. Wave it to illuminate the newly opened airport terminal,” he said, as thousands of lights glowed across the venue.Modi then took a brief walkthrough of the airport terminal. The Prime Minister later arrived at Trichy international airport and proceeded to a private hotel in the city, where he will stay overnight. On Sunday morning, the Prime Minister is scheduled to take part in the Aadi Thiruvathirai celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I at Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Ariyalur district. An 8-km roadshow has also been planned in Trichy as part of the visit.SnippetThe event also witnessed brief political sloganeering between cadres of the BJP and DMK near the airport premises. While BJP supporters chanted “Modi, Modi” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” DMK cadres responded with slogans such as “This is Periyar’s land” and “Stalin, Stalin.” Police personnel stationed at the venue quickly intervened and brought the situation under control before it escalated.