Kerala eyeing to make 10% contribution to country’s IT exports: CM Pinarayi

Kochi: Kerala is witnessing a sustained growth in Information Technology as reflected in the state’s rising software exports which totalled Rs 19,006 crore during 2022-23, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Sunday. Encouraged by this, the state is now working towards ensuring a 10 per cent contribution to the country’s IT exports and the sector generating 500,000 new jobs, he said.

The chief minister was inaugurating the second fully-owned campus of IBS Software at Infopark here. The CM said the rapid expansion of IBS Software as a global SaaS solutions provider exemplifies Kerala’s industry-friendly climate. “It demonstrates the growth of world-class companies in our state which is often accused of being hostile to industrial development,” he said.

The IBS facility at Infopark is part of the company’s efforts for a range of cutting-edge digital solutions to meet post-pandemic growth in global business in aviation, hospitality and cruise sectors.
Kerala’s IT parks have all basic infrastructural and allied facilities, smart business centres, land and buildings that can woo national and global companies. Overall, the state’s IT parks provide space of two crore square feet. The three leading parks in Kerala have housed 509 companies since 2016, employing 63,000 IT professionals.

The number of startups has risen to 5,000 from 300 in the past eight years, earning Kerala the Best Performer honour at the national ratings of the Union Commerce Ministry in the startup sector. The state also topped the Affordable Talent ratings at the Asia level, the chief minister recalled.

The upcoming Technocity in the state capital will have comprehensive facilities for offices, housing, shopping, health and education. As many as 20 small-scale 5-G IT parks will come up on both sides of the national highway along the Kannur-Thiruvananthapuram stretch. “We have given the permission for IT space measuring 5,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft. We, in association with private entrepreneurs, will share Kerala’s infrastructural wealth, manpower resources and investment prospects with the world,” he said.

IBS Software’s Mathews, while welcoming the gathering, said the company handles half the world’s software business in the air cargo sector. “The nature of the sector is fast changing. The software is changing from coding to prompting using generative AI,” he revealed, calling upon IT employees to develop this faculty.

Infosys co-founder S D Shibulal, who is also Chairman of the High Power IT Committee in Kerala, said Kerala has been making a silent revolution in IT.

IBS Software independent director Armin Meier, CIAL managing director S Suhas, Blackstone senior MD Ganesh Mani, and IBS’ senior vice president (Global Human Resources) Jayan P spoke on the occasion.

IBS Software has been operating from Infopark since 2005. The company’s first fully owned campus is located in Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. The company’s new 14-storeyed campus spread over 4.20 acres of land, can, in its first phase, accommodate over 3,000 professionals in 3.2 lakh sq ft of office space.

Kinfra International Expo Centre inaugurated
On Sunday, the chief minister also inaugurated the Kinfra International Exhibition Centre at Kakkanad. Quoting the report of the MSME Export Promotion Council, the chief minister said about Rs 92,000 crore has been invested in Kerala during the last five years. Of this, projects worth Rs 33,815 crore have been completed and around 5 lakh jobs have been created. Projects worth Rs 12,240 crore which had been stalled have been revived. The report also states that Kerala achieved 17.3 per cent industrial growth in the last financial year.

The exhibition centre will be a venue for exhibitions, industrial promotions, fairs, conferences and expos. Along with this, an international convention centre is also being prepared.

The total cost of the two projects is expected to be Rs 90 crore. Of this, projects worth Rs 50 crore have been completed.