Keralam to Support New Medical Device Parks: CM Satheesan

Inaugurating the Kerala Medical Device Industry Association (KMDIA) here, the Chief Minister said rapid technological advances in healthcare were opening up major opportunities for the medical device industry. Technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to nanotechnology were transforming diagnosis and treatment, making continuous knowledge and technology upgrades crucial for the industry.

Kerala, he said, had already demonstrated its capabilities in medical device manufacturing, with companies of international standards operating from the State. The next step should be to expand this strength into new areas and develop products capable of reaching global markets. The government was prepared to facilitate new ventures and support the establishment of medical device parks in different parts of Kerala. KMDIA’s decision to bring the industry together would also enable companies to collectively pursue new ideas, technologies and opportunities that could be difficult to develop individually.

The government was moving towards a “single door, single document, single approval” system for new industrial projects, with amendments being made to 19 laws, the Chief Minister said. The objective was to end prolonged delays and ensure approvals within a defined timeframe. An Investment Promotion Council headed by the Chief Minister, with the Industries Minister as vice-chairman, would monitor investment projects and intervene to clear bottlenecks. Medical device manufacturing was particularly suited to Kerala’s knowledge-based economy and skilled talent pool, and the State should aim for a substantial increase in both investment and the number of enterprises in the sector, he said.

Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, C. Balagopal, Chairman, KSIDC, Additional Chief Secretary Mohammed Hanish and Principal Health Secretary Dr. Sharmila Mary Joseph presented government policy perspectives and roadmaps.

P.K. Kunhalikutty, releasing the KMDIA Strategic Roadmap 2026-2031, said the roadmap provided a clear pathway for scaling Kerala’s medical device manufacturing output from the present ₹6,500-7,500 crore to more than ₹25,000 crore by 2031.

The plan envisages increasing Kerala’s share of India’s medical device production from around 15-18% to more than 25%, while expanding into high-value areas including active medical electronics, in-vitro diagnostics and orthopaedic implants.

The roadmap also proposes a Medical Devices City under a public-private partnership model, with plug-and-play manufacturing facilities, ISO Class 5-8 cleanrooms, accredited quality-control laboratories and shared sterilisation facilities to reduce the heavy initial investment burden on MSMEs and startups.