KOCHI: Kerala is taking a big step towards achieving its goals as part of the Industry 4.0 revolution. The two-day Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS 2025), which will begin on Friday at the Lulu International Convention Centre in Kochi, aims to showcase Kerala’s strategic advantages as a sustainable destination for a wide range of enterprises that define Industry 4.0.
The summit, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the presence of Union and state ministers, foreign delegates and captains of industry, aims to attract investments in 22 priority sectors in the state.
“The government will see that the investment proposals made at IKGS are converted into actual projects and the progress of their implementation put on the public domain,” Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir P Rajeeve said.
Besides netting investments, the meet will deliberate on scaling up the sectors that have already gained traction to speed up the state’s transformation into a knowledge economy that is home to sustainable, responsible, and inclusive industrial practices, the minister said.
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways), Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry) and Jayant Chaudhary (Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) will address the opening session.
Over 3,000 delegates are attending the conclave, which will focus on various verticals such as AI and robotics, aerospace and defence, logistics, maritime and packaging, pharma, medical devices and biotech, renewable energy, ayurveda, food tech, value-added rubber products, tourism and hospitality, and recycling and waste management.
The summit will proceed on a structured agenda shaped by insights from a series of domain-specific pre-summit conclaves, strategic sessions, and road shows held in the past few months. Along with business sessions and country-focused interactions, the summit also has scores of panel discussions to take the government’s New Industrial Policy that has identified over 22 priority segments to be promoted.
The inaugural day will see a discussion on ‘Kerala – A Small World of Big Opportunities’. It will see Lulu Financial Holdings managing director Adeeb Ahmed, AB InBev vice president Anasuya Ray, Adani Ports and SEZ Limited CEO Ashwani Gupta, Jio Platforms CEO Mathew Oommen, Murugappa Group executive chairman M M Murugappan, ITC managing director Sanjiv Puri and Google Cloud APAC COO Sashikumar Sreedharan deliberating.
Sessions will also be held on ‘Nurturing the Future of Startups and Innovation’, ‘Future of Talent’, ‘Global Gateway to Medical Excellence, Ayurveda and Wellness Tourism,’ ‘Harnessing Marine Sector for Future Growth’, ‘Powering the Future of Automotive Technology Innovation’, ‘Catalyzing Growth: Port-Led Development as a Bridge to Global Trade’, ‘Kerala Towards $1 Trillion Economy’, ‘Navigating the Future: Shipbuilding Potential in India’s Maritime Growth’,
‘Roots of Prosperity: Nurturing Kerala’s Traditional Sectors for a Brighter Future’, ‘Empowering Kerala’s Future: Unleashing Opportunities in Clean, Sustainable Energy’ and ‘Value-added Plantation Sector Including Rubber’.
Cultural programme
A specially curated musical presentation of Kerala’s classical and folk dance forms choreographed by Pramod Payyanur will be presented at the summit to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the state.
Showcasing growth of enterprises
An exhibition that reflects the theme and the topics of the sessions is being held on the sidelines of the summit. The exhibition hall will feature 120 stalls, that will have enterprises from all sectors. Of those, six stalls will see public sector units (PSUs) presenting their products. Genrobotics and Bendra Aerospace will feature among the 25 startups presenting their products at the exhibition.
Enterprises from sectors like medical excellence and ayurveda, Kerala traditional sectors, tourism, IT infrastructure, shipbuilding aerospace and defence, automotive technology, robotics and AI, retail revolution, etc will also be participating in the exhibition. The stall earmarked for shipbuilding will see Cochin Shipyard and Vizhinjam Port presenting Kerala’s potential in the sector.
Kerala tourism sector to be featured prominently
Kerala’s tourism sector will be featured prominently at the two-day summit as a premium global brand that promises immense investment opportunities in various verticals. Apart from the scope of scaling up infrastructure in time-tested destinations including backwaters, beaches, and hill stations, the tourism-centric sessions at IKGS will also roll out a clutch of newly identified spots across the state. The meet will also showcase the scope of investment in tourism-related startups in the backdrop of the tourism department’s partnership with the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) to leverage innovative ideas and technologies to present tourism products across the globe.
KFON official internet partner
KFON, Kerala’s state-owned internet service provider, has been announced as the official internet partner of IKGS. KFON will have an experience zone at the venue, where attendees can learn more about KFON’s services and even sign up for new connections. A dedicated KFON team will be on hand to assist with any inquiries or requests.
Australia country partner
Australia will be a Country Partner at IKGS 2025, underscoring a commitment to deepening economic engagement. With India as a Comprehensive Strategic Partner, Australia is keen to explore opportunities in Kerala’s renewable energy, food processing, agricultural technology, space, water and environment management, skills development and innovation sectors.