Kerala poised for a great leap forward to Industry 4.0

Invest Kerala Global Summit begins in Kochi today

Trivandrum / February 19, 2025

Kerala is taking a great leap forward to the Industrial Revolution 4.0, demonstrating that nothing is impossible. Kerala has already been ranked first among Indian states in the Ease of Doing Business reforms.

In its 87-year history, the American Society for Public Administration has recognised a project from India as a Novel Innovation in Public Administration. That project was Kerala's 'Entrepreneurial Year'. At a meeting attended by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was also recognised as the best project in the MSME sector in India. 

We were carrying forward the steps initiated by the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, which came to power in 2016, to take the state's business-friendly environment to the next level in a more meaningful and far-sighted manner. 

Since the launch of K-SWIFT, which eliminated the need to visit multiple offices to start businesses and created a single-window system, the government has laid a strong foundation for a business-friendly environment by amending laws and regulations.

In continuation, during the tenure of this government, with the support of various departments under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and with the full participation of officials under the supervision of the Chief Secretary, we have become the most investment-friendly state. 

Kerala has received commendations for this achievement, including recognition at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Some of the world's best companies with advanced technology have started operations in Kerala. Everyone who has come to Kerala has praised the state's business-friendly environment in one voice and has opened larger offices. 

The investment summit takes place as the world shows a renewed interest in Kerala as the best destination.

Invest Kerala Global Summit

Kerala is organising the much-awaited Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025 (IKGS2025) on February 21 and 22 in Kochi. This event will attract massive investments and transform our industrial scenario. 

The state is trying to become the hub of India’s Industrial Revolution 4.0 by focusing on innovative industrial sectors identified by the Kerala Industrial Policy. We organised around fifty preparatory events before the summit, including Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Dubai roadshows. 

In addition to the country's first International Gen AI Conclave and Kerala's first International Robotics Round Table Conclave, we completed more than ten sectoral conclaves ahead of the IKGS2025. Special conclaves were organised for Vizhinjam Port and the Malabar region. Kerala’s successful entrepreneurs became our ambassadors. 

Ease of Doing Business 

Kerala topped the Ease of Doing Business list by implementing 340 of 352 prescribed reforms. It has secured the first position in nine areas. Andhra Pradesh has secured the first position in five categories and Gujarat in three. 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal handed the award to Kerala at a meeting of Industry Ministers in Delhi, which secured the top position on the achievers’ list. The fact that this achievement is entirely based on the votes of entrepreneurs is another proof of the trust they have placed in the government. We are moving forward by bringing together all the entrepreneurs of Kerala who helped climb the ladder from the 28th to the 1st rank. This year also, Kerala has completed 99 per cent of the reforms suggested by the Union Government in the Investment Friendliness Index.

Entrepreneurs with the government

One of the first schemes introduced by the second Pinarayi Vijayan government was the MSME package of Rs 1,410 crore. Following this, discussions were held with FICCI, CII, KSSIA and trade unions. We then took action on their demands. A new law allowed non-red category units of up to Rs 50 crore for three and a half years with an in-principle Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through K-SWIFT. We also passed a law to issue a composite license within seven days for industries with a capital investment of more than Rs 50 crore if they apply with sufficient documents. 

A unified inspection system was introduced by integrating five departments through the K-SIS portal to avoid unnecessary procedures and prevent corruption. Statutory committees with civil court powers were formed at the district and state levels to resolve entrepreneurs' complaints on time. They are empowered to levy fines and recommend action against officers failing to provide services without sufficient reasons. The entrepreneurs' feedback also reflects that several complaints were resolved through the Invest Kerala Help Desk and the MSME Clinic. 

Big Investments

Along with solving the problems of entrepreneurs, we were able to attract investments worth tens of thousands of crores of rupees to Kerala through the Meet the Investor programme implemented to attract big investors to Kerala. Over 30 companies have invested in Kerala, including IBM, HCL Tech, Nov Inc, Strada Global, D-Space, Saffron, Axia Technologies, Synthite, and Attache. 

The first of the major projects approved by the World Economic Forum in Davos is Kerala's Hydrogen Valley, which is expected to cost Rs 18,000 crore. In two years, IBM started two projects for the first time in the same city, that too in our state. HCL Tech has expressed its willingness to start a new unit within a month of its commencement of operations in Kerala. The state’s business-friendly environment has earned praise from prominent groups such as IBM, HCL Tech, Mercedes-Benz, Strada Global, Infosys, IBS, Adani Group, Ernst & Young, Tata Elxsi, UST Global, Adesso Global, Agape, Nov.INC, Kongsberg, D-Space, Axia Technologies, Systrom, Saffron, Synthite, Murugappa Group, Lulu, Choice, VKC, Vitthal Cashews, Prestige Group, Attaché, Craze Biscuits, Bakertilli-Pierrean and Trasna. 

This government has also approved the Kochi-Bangalore Industrial Corridor. We will complete as much work as possible during this government's term. 

Entrepreneurial Year

'Entrepreneurial Year' is a scheme that has won national and international recognition for Kerala's industrial sector after a long time. The scheme was recognised as the best practice in the country's MSME sector in a meeting attended by the Prime Minister and as a Novel Innovation in Public Administration by the American Society for Public Administration. 

Kerala's Entrepreneurial Year scheme is also a subject of study in the IAS training in Mussoorie this year. In Kerala, where 10,000 enterprises used to start annually, the scheme paved the way for 3,45,000 enterprises, an investment of Rs 22,135 crore and 7,31,652 jobs until February 18. It is also a proud achievement that women entrepreneurs headed more than one lakh of them.

New Kerala

Having to go up and down offices to run a business in Kerala has become a thing of the past. This government could provide legal and technical support to entrepreneurs so they can start a business most easily. It also adopted the Responsible Investment, Responsible Industry policy for the first time in the country. It transforms Kerala into a hub for environmentally friendly and relatively low-pollution industries. For this, a new industrial policy has been introduced. The lease policy has been changed. A logistics park policy has been introduced. The export policy has been formulated. The industrial policy, which offers several incentives and subsidies, has been well received by the entire industry, and it gives us hope. 

We have organised eight months of preparatory programmes for the February 21-22 Invest Kerala Global Summit. No other investment summit has been organised with such extensive groundwork. With its easy-to-do business environment, the best talent pool, climate, and connectivity, Kerala has opened its doors to the world, welcoming investors to see for themselves these past two days. 

God's Own Country is now investors' too.

Ends