By Union Ministers attending the meet pledge Centre’s full support to Kerala
The two-day Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS 2025) began on an exciting note here today with Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan asserting that the investors coming to Kerala will not face any hurdle in their wayto leverage the state’s strategic advantagesto set up industries.
“We have assured that no investor coming to Kerala will have to face the cobweb of procedural delays and meet barriers of red tape,” Shri Vijayan said in his opening address to the summit at Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre, attended by the Union Ministers and business leaders from India and abroad.
Noting that the summit is taking place when Kerala’s investment scenario is on the cusp of a historic transformation, the Chief Minister said “we have made major strides in simplifying procedures as regards investments.”
Addressing the event, Union Ministers Shri Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways), Shri Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry) and Shri Jayant Chaudhary (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship), pledged total support of the Centre to Kerala’s endeavours to impart scale and speed to industrial development.
Shri Vijayan said Kerala has witnessed establishment of 6,200 start ups with an, investment of Rs 5,800 crore, creating 62,000 jobs. “We aim to have 15,000 startups and create 100,000 jobs by 2026.
Citing a slew of legislative and policy initiatives that transformed the state’s industrial landscape, he said “these changes brought about by the state government were not incremental but substantial.”
After making outstanding achievements in human development, the state is now taking a leap towards the status of an investment hub with the government playing the role of facilitator and catalyst, paying attention to formulation of policies and their last-mile implementation, he said.
In the Ease of Doing Business index, Kerala is ranked first among Indian states and the Year of Enterprises initiative has been recognised as a best practice at the national level, Shri Vijayan noted.
Kerala has a strong infrastructure base including road, air, maritime and digital connectivity, uninterrupted power and clean energy. The state offers the best human resource required for industries driven by futuristic-technology. It is for the investors to leverage these advantages in an ecosystem marked by the best Ease of Doing Business scenario, the Chief Minister said.
Holding that government has an open mind to constructive criticism on matters of development, Shri Vijayan said “when criticism itself becomes the end and not the means to achieve the end of improvement, it ceases to be constructive.”
Presiding over the inaugural session, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir Shri P Rajeeve said while Kerala is long reputed as‘God’s Own Country’ as a tourism haven, the state has now also become “a Heaven of Industry.”
Shri Nitin Gadkari, addressing the event online, announced 31 new road projects worth Rs 50, 000 crore for Kerala.
Shri Piyush Goyal said Centre will extend its full support to Kerala’s industrial and economic development initiatives, as it is keen that the entire country is working in a spirit of cooperative federalism to achieve the national goals as envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Shri Jayant Choudhari said going by its core strengths Kerala has become the ‘Gate Way to India’s Development.’
With its talented human resource pool, Kerala can contribute immensely to India’s growth story marked by innovation, reinvention and disruption, he said.
Recalling the historical ties between India and the UAE, UAE Minister of Economy, Mr Abdulla bin Touk Al Marri, said there is remarkable growth in economic partnership between the two nations over the years and India is the second largest trading partner of the UAE. The Minister said UAE is eager to collaborate with Kerala in vital sectors like food processing, tourism, technology, healthcare and space.
Mr Al Marri, who led a 22-member delegation to the event, also lauded the talent and skilled workforce from Kerala.
Bahrain Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, said his country is looking for partnership with Kerala mainly in food security, tourism & hospitality and semiconductor sectors.
Minister for Cooperation, Ports and Devaswoms Shri V N Vasavan, Minister for Culture and Fisheries Shri Saji Cherian and Minister for Excise and Local Self Governments Shri M B Rajesh were present.
Shri V D Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, said regardless of political differences, the collective goal is to propel Kerala into a future of economic prosperity and industrial excellence.
“The Opposition is taking an initiative for the beginning of a new culture. We are giving our full support in all aspects to make Kerala investment-friendly,” he added.
Among those present on the occasion were industry leaders Shri Adeeb Ahmed, Ms. Anasuya Ray, Dr. Azad Moopen, Shri Matthew Oommen, Shi MM Murugappan, Shri T.S. Kalyanaraman and Shri. Ravi Pillai.
NITI Aayog former CEO and G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant; Lulu Group Chairman and MD Shri M.A. Yusuf Ali, who is also Vice Chairman of Norka Roots; CII President Shri Sanjiv Puri and Adani Ports and SEZ Limited (APSEZ) MD, Mr Karan Adani; Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Shri APM Mohammed Hanish and KSIDC MD Shri Harikishore S were also present.
Chief Secretary Smt Sarada Muraleedharan, who welcomed the gathering to the summit, said, “Kerala is committed to leveraging its core advantages to emerge as an ethical and responsible investment destination.”
Over 3000 delegates are attending the conclave, which will focuson various verticals like AI & Robotics, Aerospace & Defence, Logistics, Lifesciences, Medical Devices & Biotech, Renewable Energy, Maritime and Packaging, Ayurveda, Food Tech, High Value-added Rubber Products, Tourism & Hospitality and Recycling & Waste Management.
