Kerala's IT Parks Affiliation Scheme explained

What has been announced

The Kerala government will launch the IT Parks Affiliation Scheme on 6 October 2026, together with a new Kerala Tech Brand. According to UNI, Industries, Commerce, IT and Artificial Intelligence Minister P K Kunhalikutty will launch both at Travancore Hall, Park Centre, Technopark Phase I, Thiruvananthapuram, at 4 pm.

UNI describes the aim as "bringing technology companies, co-working spaces and private technology infrastructure into a connected state-level ecosystem and creating greater opportunities in emerging technology sectors."

In plain terms, the state wants tech businesses that sit outside its three government IT parks to become part of the same network as the companies inside them.

What the affiliation scheme is, and what it is not

Kerala's government tech work has long centred on three parks: Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Infopark in Kochi and Cyberpark in Kozhikode. Many tech firms, though, work from ordinary office buildings, co-working spaces, private IT parks and homes across the state. Until now, those firms have had no formal link to the government park system.

The affiliation scheme is designed to close that gap. A Malayalam report in Sathyam Online says it will connect eligible tech organisations outside the government parks to a state-level technology network, so they can reach benefits and facilities that park tenants use.

Two points are worth being clear about:

• You do not have to move. As an IASPoint explainer puts it, "affiliation does not imply that a company must be physically situated inside the park." A firm in a Kakkanad office or a Kozhikode co-working space could be affiliated without relocating.
• It is not the same as being a park tenant or a special economic zone unit. Affiliation is an association with the park network. Nothing announced so far says affiliated firms get SEZ status or the tax treatment that comes with it.

Who can register

Registration is online through the IT Parks Affiliation Scheme portal. The form gives a good picture of who the scheme is for. Applicants choose one of these entity types:

• IT/ITeS company
• Co-working space
• Private IT park
• Located within an IT park
• Government
• Others

Applicants also pick which park they want to affiliate with (Technopark, Infopark or Cyberpark), and give their registered office district (all 14 districts are listed) and any branch location. The form also asks how you heard about the scheme, with options including CII, Nasscom, GTech and CAFIT, the main industry bodies for Kerala's tech sector.

So the scheme is open well beyond large companies. Small software firms, studios, co-working operators and private park developers all fit the categories.

What we do not know yet

The full rules have not been published in the sources we could check. In particular, it is not yet clear:

• Eligibility: whether there are minimum sizes, years in business or other conditions.
• Fees: whether affiliation is free or carries a charge.
• Exact benefits: which park facilities, events, programmes or government channels affiliated firms can use.
• How affiliation is shown: whether firms get a certificate, a listing or a badge they can show clients.

These details are likely to be explained at the 6 October launch. Sathyam Online reports that the Infopark and Cyberpark CEO will present the scheme there. If you run a tech business, it is worth checking the portal and the parks' official channels after the launch before you rely on any specific benefit.

What it means for tech firms outside the parks

If you run a small tech company, agency or studio in Keralam, affiliation could help in a few practical ways:

• Visibility: being part of an official park network may make your firm easier to find for buyers and partners who start their search with Technopark, Infopark or Cyberpark.
• Access: the scheme is meant to open up park resources and government engagement. Depending on the final rules, that could include events, training and introductions.
• Credibility: an official link to a government park can reassure first-time clients abroad, as long as you are clear about what affiliation means and do not present it as something more.

Co-working spaces and private IT parks are named in the scheme, which also matters. It suggests the state sees them as part of the IT system, not as an informal extra. That fits the direction of the Kerala IT Policy 2026, which aims to spread IT work beyond the three main parks.

If you want buyers abroad to find you now, you can also list your company on keralam.si for free.

What it means if you hire from Keralam

If you are a business in the Gulf, the UK, Europe or the US hiring developers or agencies from Keralam, here is the practical view.

• Good teams are not only in the big parks. Many capable firms work from offices in Kakkanad, Kazhakkoottam, Kozhikode, Thrissur and smaller towns. The scheme is a sign that the state recognises them, and it may make them easier to find.
• Affiliation is not a quality check. Being linked to a park network tells you a firm is part of the ecosystem. It does not tell you how good its work is. Treat it as a useful signal, not a reason to skip your own checks.
• Keep vetting the usual way. Ask for relevant past work, speak to a past client, and start with a small paid test. Our guide to choosing a software company in Kochi covers the questions to ask, and outsourcing to Kerala from the UAE covers contracts and payments.

The time zone helps too. India Standard Time is UTC+5:30, 1.5 hours ahead of the UAE and Oman, so most of the Gulf working day overlaps. You can browse companies on keralam.si and contact teams directly, or read how to hire freelancers in Kerala if you need an individual rather than a firm.

The Kerala Tech Brand and other launches

The Kerala Tech Brand launches at the same event. According to Sathyam Online, it aims to bring technical skills, innovation, research, startups and knowledge-based industries under one shared identity, and to create jobs beyond traditional IT and ITeS work. The report links it to fields such as AI, semiconductors, deep tech, space technology, cybersecurity and digital engineering.

The same report lists several other announcements for the day:

• A prefabricated IT building of 200,000 sq ft at Technopark Phase III, with shared recreation areas.
• An agreement between Technopark and Caspian TechParks.
• Launches of a Semiconductor Kerala Consortium, VSI Kerala and a Maker Hub.

Taken together, these point the same way as the state's IT policy: more space, more specialist fields and a wider network of firms. For buyers, that should mean more choice over time. For tech workers, it suggests more roles outside the traditional services model.