Hindi Heartland Should Emulate Tamil Nadu’s Development Model: Arvind Subramanian

Former Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, Arvind Subramanian, on Monday said that the Hindi heartland should adopt Tamil Nadu’s development model, pointing to the State’s ability to attract investment and manage economic risks more effectively than many other regions.

Speaking at an event in Chennai, Subramanian highlighted Tamil Nadu’s multi-city growth pattern and strong talent base, noting that investors perceive significantly lower risk when investing in the State. This confidence, he said, has enabled Tamil Nadu to draw consistent domestic and foreign investments over the years.

His remarks were made at the launch of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s flagship initiative, “Ulagam Ungal Kayil” (The World Is in Your Hands), under which laptops are being distributed to 20 lakh school students across the State. The Tamil Nadu government has earmarked ₹2,000 crore for the programme.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Stalin said the expenditure on the scheme should be viewed not as a cost, but as a long-term investment in the future of the State’s children. He emphasized that expanding access to education through technology was central to Tamil Nadu’s growth strategy.

Subramanian stressed that India’s overall development depends on a mix of competitive and cooperative federalism, with high-performing states setting benchmarks for others.

“Some states lead and others follow,” he said, adding that leading states like Tamil Nadu serve both as a model and a magnet by attracting talent, technology, and investment.

For India to progress further, he argued, the Hindi heartland would need to transform itself along the lines of Tamil Nadu’s current economic and political approach, particularly by prioritizing education, institutional stability, and inclusive growth.