Congress opposes Adani in Delhi, opens doors in Keralam? CM Satheesan responds

While the Congress's national leadership consistently targets the Adani Group and alleges an unholy nexus between the billionaire conglomerate and the government, the same group operates two critical infrastructure facilities in Congress-ruled Keralam -- the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Port.

Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan, however, does not see the arrangement as contradictory or problematic. He argued that the state's engagement with the Adani Group is guided by the state's interests and stressed that the government has not surrendered ownership of its infrastructure assets.

Speaking at the India Today Roundtable Keralam, Satheesan said the Adani Group was the concessionaire at Vizhinjam, while the Keralam government remained the owner of the port, with the relationship governed by a concession agreement.

"They are the concessionaire. The owner of the port is the state government. There is a concession agreement," Satheesan specified.

The Adani Group, through Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), is the private developer, concessionaire and primary operator of the Vizhinjam International Seaport under a 40-year public-private partnership (PPP) agreement.

Satheesan said the government's priority was to maximise the port's potential while protecting the state's interests.

"We have to promote the ports. While we are the owner of the port, why should we disturb the activities in the port? We are the owners. We are to promote all the activities, keeping the interest of the state," he said.

The Chief Minister also rejected the suggestion that the Kerala government had "given" the Thiruvananthapuram airport to the Adani Group. The airport is operated, managed and developed by the Adani Group under a 50-year lease agreement following its privatisation by the Centre since 2021.

"I have not given the Adani airport to Adani. That is part of the central government policies," he said.

When asked whether his government was willing to acknowledge that it was open to private investment, including from the Adani Group, Satheesan agreed but stressed that such investments would have to go through established procedures and a transparent selection process.

"There should be a procedure. There are so many investors who are coming. In some areas we need some transparent procedures. The expression of interest and other things. There should be a transparent procedure to select the right person who is investing there, but we are giving more opportunities," Satheesan said.

The discussion on the Adani Group also tied into one of Satheesan's central development ambitions for Keralam -- building the state into a major maritime economy.

Explaining his government's assessment of Keralam's economic strengths and constraints, the Chief Minister said the state had limited scope for conventional industrial expansion because of its high population density and regulatory restrictions covering forests, paddy land and coastal areas.

Keralam's coastline, however, offered a significant geographical advantage, he said.

The proposed port-led development strategy, therefore, places Vizhinjam at the centre of a broader infrastructure network, rather than treating it as an isolated port project.- EndsPublished By: Ajmal Published On: Sep 17, 2026 14:59 IST