Keralam to support new medical device parks, fast-track approvals, says CM V.D. Satheesan

The State government will extend full support for setting up new medical device parks and enterprises as the sector holds immense growth potential for the State, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said.

Inaugurating the Kerala Medical Device Industry Association (KMDIA) here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said that Keralam had already demonstrated its capabilities in medical device manufacturing, with firms matching 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 the State. The KMDIA would enable companies to collectively pursue new ideas, technologies and opportunities.

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-Chairperson, would monitor investment projects and intervene to clear bottlenecks. Medical device manufacturing was particularly suited to Keralam’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, releasing the KMDIA Strategic Roadmap 2026-2031, said the roadmap provided a clear pathway for scaling Keralam’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 Keralam’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 start-ups.

The roadmap proposes closer industry links with institutions including SCTIMST, IIT Palakkad, RGCB and NIT Calicut, with a target of facilitating technology transfer and commercialisation of more than 20 clinical patents.

KSIDC chairperson C. Balagopal; Additional Chief Secretary Mohammed Hanish; and Principal Secretary (Health) Sharmila Mary Joseph presented government policy perspectives and roadmaps.

KMDIA president Thomas John spoke on its vision to globalise ‘Make in Kerala’ as a trusted name in medical technology. T.C. Jayasankar, secretary, KMDIA; C. Padmakumar, special officer, Kerala Medical Technology Consortium, among others, spoke.