A total of 375 firms signed Expressions of Interests (EoIs) amounting to a consolidated investment of ₹1,52,905.67 crore, announced Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeeve at the valedictory session to conclude the two-day Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025 in Kochi on Saturday. This included ₹30,000 crore in EoI from Adani Group, ₹5,000 crore from LuLu Group, and another ₹5,000 crore from Monarch Surveyors.
“Our industries minister is very industrious,” quipped George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, referring to Rajeeve, who was recently in Delhi meeting the central ministers to greenlight major projects in the state. Kurian, who is also the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, announced the setting up of an “Integrated Aquapark” in Kerala.
Apart from this, 24 IT companies are expected to add ₹8,500 crore to expand their presence in Kerala, adding an additional 60,000 jobs, said the industries minister.
At the valedictory session, Kurian lauded the state government for “cooperative federalism”, stating how the development in Kerala goes hand-in-hand with the Centre. He highlighted how the latest infrastructure development in Kerala from highways to the seaport development saw both the state and Union governments working in tandem.
Union Minister of State George Kurian at the Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025 in Kochi | Nitin SJ Asariparambil
Kurian, who was the chief guest of the valedictory session led by Rajeeve, was joined by former state minister and deputy opposition leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, along with other dignitaries, including Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal.
The entire development landscape is set to change and move closer to Kerala with the growth of the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Balagopal announced, in his inaugural address to the session.
“This is just the end of the event, not of the journey,” Rajeeve addressed the gathering, highlighting “Made in Kerala” initiatives such as the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).
Taking the cue from how investors lauded the Kochi Water Metro service when they visited Kochi for the summit, the industries minister announced how KMRL has inked deals to begin studies to assess the feasibility of establishment of water metros in 18 cities of different states of the country.
“Our objective is to ensure investor confidence,” added Rajeeve, stating that inking deals and MoUs take time and relevant regulatory checks. It is not like buying groceries from LuLu Hypermarket, he joked. However, the state government is ready to change the regulations, if there is any merit to the concerns, he added.
Kerala government plans to fast-track the deals and EoIs signed in the summit, with a special structured mechanism for the follow-up of each EoI inked. A dedicated investor portal with a toll-free number and an exclusive e-mail address to service all investment queries in connection with development programmes in the state in connection with the summit would be set up, said the state industries minister.
The Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025, held on February 21 and 22 at the Lulu International Convention Centre in Bolgatty, Kochi, was organised by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) under the aegis of the Department of Industry and Commerce, Government of Kerala.
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The state government looked to attract both domestic and international investments across various sectors and industries to Kerala, in a bid to lift the economic landscape of the region.
The second day of the event saw sessions on aerospace and defence innovation and collaboration, sustainable and responsible tourism, the latest in food processing technology, banking, fintech and decentralised blockchain technology, changing real estate landscape, the retail revolution, and the role of Kerala as a premier life sciences and medical devices hub.
Apart from investors and industry stakeholders across varied domains, certain countries have also associated with the two-day summit, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Germany, and Australia, who set up specific showcases at the venue.
