Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (PTI) The Kerala government on Friday said it will send a high-power delegation to the World Economic Forum, to be held in Davos, Switzerland, from January 19 to 23.
The delegation, led by Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev, will scout for global investments and collaborations across the state’s diverse range of industry-ready enterprises and highlight Kerala’s impressive economic growth, a government release said.
Besides the minister, the six-member delegation includes Dr A Jayathilak, Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala; APM Mohammed Haneesh, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries and Commerce); and P Vishnuraj, Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), the release said.
Rajeev was quoted in the release as saying that the delegation will showcase the transformational changes introduced by the Kerala government in the state’s industrial landscape and focus on strengthening its brand image as a destination for “responsible investment and responsible industry”.
“This will be in tune with the WEF 2026 theme of ‘A Spirit of Dialogue’,” Rajeev said.
“The delegation will also highlight Kerala’s transition to high-tech, knowledge-based industries and the development of an Industry 4.0-compliant ecosystem,” he added.
Kerala, which secured a top achiever position in the National Ease of Doing Business 2024 rankings, has been provided exclusive space inside the India Pavilion at Davos, the release said.
The delegation’s focus will be on the knowledge economy, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, and high-tech and modern technology-based industries, it said.
“While at Davos, we will highlight how Kerala is fusing technology, talent, and collaborative ecosystems, and investing in human capital to reap economic dividends. Our overriding concern is to balance economic development with ecological sensitivity,” the minister said.
The release further said that the WEF had been instrumental in bringing investments and major achievements to the state through the Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS) 2025 held in Kochi.
It added that the summit had also influenced the leading Indian biotechnology company Bharat Biotech to establish a food-processing unit in Kerala.
“Kerala presents a compelling case for investment, backed by a congenial industrial climate, supportive government policies, a digitally literate talent pool, ready plug-and-play infrastructure, and a high quality of life — key prerequisites for a stable business environment,” the release said.
It further noted that the state’s robust industrial ecosystem was reflected in the Expressions of Interest (EOIs) worth Rs 1.80 lakh crore attracted from 449 companies at IKGS.
“Notably, 100 of these projects, including those by global majors such as Dynimated (Italy) and Adani Logistics, have already commenced construction,” it said.
The Kerala government has streamlined its industrial policy by identifying 22 priority sectors for promotion and investment, including aerospace and defence, robotics, Ayurveda, and electric vehicles.
The release said the Industries Department has successfully rebranded Kerala’s industrial landscape, shifting the narrative from a traditional base to a hub for sustainable and ethical business.
“All state PSUs and District Industries Centres have been rebranded with a uniform ESG-focused identity. This includes the successful implementation of ‘Mission 1000’, aimed at scaling 1,000 MSMEs into enterprises with Rs 100-crore turnover,” it said.
At WEF 2026, the delegation plans to showcase this branding to attract high-value, non-polluting industries such as AI, space technology, and life sciences, ensuring economic growth without compromising Kerala’s fragile ecology.
Rajeev said companies face immense global pressure to comply with ESG standards, and by operating in Kerala, investors automatically align with international sustainability norms, benefit from a transparent, feedback-linked regulatory system (BRAP 2024), and gain a “green premium” for their products.
The release added that Kerala is emerging as a major hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India, leveraging IT parks such as Technopark, Infopark, and Cyberpark.
“Another unique selling point of Kerala’s industrial ecosystem is its geography, which offers a strategic advantage for logistics and decentralised industrial growth,” it said.
By 2035, over 90 per cent of Kerala’s population is projected to live in urbanised clusters, ensuring a uniform market and talent pool across the state.
As a result, investors do not need to pay city-centre premiums for land and can establish manufacturing units in suburban or rural areas while still enjoying urban-grade connectivity, reliable power supply, and high-speed internet. PTI HMP SSK
