Kochi/CSEZ & Kalamassery Industrial-IT Corridor
Kerala's Original Export Engine, A Multi-Product SEZ That Built Kochi's Industrial Foundation
The Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Kakkanad, together with the broader Kalamassery industrial-commercial cluster to its north-west, represents Kochi's oldest organised economic zone and the historical foundation of Kerala's export economy. Established in 1986 as one of India's first Export Processing Zones (and later converted to an SEZ in 2003), CSEZ is a 103-acre multi-product zone controlled by the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It sits within the same Kakkanad corridor as Infopark and SmartCity, making the entire 5–6 km stretch from Kalamassery to Ka
SEZ
Grade A IT Parks / SEZ Strata / Campus Lease
Managed Office
Managed Offices
Co-working
Coworking Spaces
SEZ
SEZ / Tax Incentives
Grade A
Grade A & ESG Assets
| Connection | Details | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Metric | Figure | |
| CSEZ Area | 41.7 hectares (103 acres), Kakkanad | |
| Operating Units | ~160 units across multiple sectors | |
| Employment | 15,000+ professionals | |
| Zone Type | Multi-product SEZ (IT/ITES, Electronics Hardware, Engineering, Gem & Jewellery, Agro/Food, Textiles, Rubber/Plastics) | |
| Metro Connections | Kalamassery Station (Phase 1, operational), ~2 km from CSEZ; Cochin SEZ Station (Phase 2 Pink Line, under construction), dedicated station within the Kakkanad corridor | |
| Key IT Buildings | Muthoot Technopolis (IT Park building within CSEZ); SDF (Software Development Facility) | |
| Sector | Description of Presence | |
| IT / ITES Software Services | Multiple software companies and BPO units operating under CSEZ SEZ status | |
| Electronics Hardware Manufacturing | FCI OEN Connectors, SFO Technologies and other electronics component manufacturers | |
| BFSI Technology (GCC) | Capital One India GCC, one of the larger BFSI technology operations in the zone | |
| Consulting & Analytics | KPMG GDC operates delivery centre within CSEZ IT building framework | |
| Healthcare Manufacturing | HLL Lifecare (Govt of India PSU) operates pharmaceutical and healthcare product manufacturing | |
| Gem & Jewellery | Traditional CSEZ sector; export-oriented gem and jewellery processing units |
Metric
Figure
CSEZ Area
41.7 hectares (103 acres), Kakkanad
Operating Units
~160 units across multiple sectors
Employment
15,000+ professionals
Zone Type
Multi-product SEZ (IT/ITES, Electronics Hardware, Engineering, Gem & Jewellery, Agro/Food, Textiles, Rubber/Plastics)
Metro Connections
Kalamassery Station (Phase 1, operational), ~2 km from CSEZ; Cochin SEZ Station (Phase 2 Pink Line, under construction), dedicated station within the Kakkanad corridor
Key IT Buildings
Muthoot Technopolis (IT Park building within CSEZ); SDF (Software Development Facility)
IT / ITES Software Services
Multiple software companies and BPO units operating under CSEZ SEZ status
Electronics Hardware Manufacturing
FCI OEN Connectors, SFO Technologies and other electronics component manufacturers
BFSI Technology (GCC)
Capital One India GCC, one of the larger BFSI technology operations in the zone
Consulting & Analytics
KPMG GDC operates delivery centre within CSEZ IT building framework
Healthcare Manufacturing
HLL Lifecare (Govt of India PSU) operates pharmaceutical and healthcare product manufacturing
Gem & Jewellery
Traditional CSEZ sector; export-oriented gem and jewellery processing units
CSEZ is unique among Kochi's commercial zones in being a true multi-product SEZ. While Infopark and SmartCity focus almost entirely on IT/ITES, CSEZ houses units in electronics hardware, engineering components, gem and jewellery, agro-processing, textiles, rubber products, and IT/ITES. This makes it the choice for manufacturing-linked companies that need an export processing environment alongside IT operations. The zone is operated under the CSEZ Authority (a Government of India body). Key infrastructure includes:, A dedicated 25MVA/110kV electrical substation feeding all units via underground cables; the zone is exempt from KSEB power-cut schedules, A dedicated BSNL 1,000-line 5ESS exchange with ISDN, DSL, and PSTN connectivity, An optical fibre network connecting all buildings within the zone, On-site customs facilities, Central Board of Excise and Customs has a dedicated office within CSEZ; consignments are inspected and sealed on-site without requiring port/airport customs processing, Integrated water supply drawn from the Kadamprayar river; 1.5 million litres/day capacity, Common Effluent Treatment, incineration, and a bio-gas plant for waste management Muthoot Technopolis is the primary IT Park building within CSEZ, an IT/ITES focused facility hosting software and technology companies within the SEZ framework. KINFRA Hi-Tech Park, Kalamassery (3 km north-west) is a separate KINFRA-promoted industrial park in the HMT Colony area, hosting companies including Sutherland Global Services and others in the IT/ITES services space. Phase 2 Expansion: The Government of India has mooted a Phase 2 expansion of CSEZ on 125 acres adjacent to Infopark at Cherthala, which would substantially increase the zone's leasable area.
Datamate Info Solutions · Qburst Technologies · Aufait Technologies · IMMCO Software Solutions · Docustream India Technologies · Capital One Services India (CSEZ IT unit) · Forerun Global Solutions
IBM India (CSEZ IT unit)
Capital One Services (India), financial services GCC
KPMG Global Delivery Center (CSEZ-listed unit)
FCI OEN Connectors · SFO Technologies (Electronics hardware; Cochin SEZ, Kakkanad) · HLL Lifecare Ltd · Beta Health Care Products · Stable Magnet Wire
HLL Lifecare Ltd (Government of India PSU)
CSEZ is a Government of India SEZ under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, administered by the Development Commissioner. Units within CSEZ are treated as "foreign territory" for customs purposes, consignments are processed on-site, eliminating the need for port/airport customs procedures. This is a material operational advantage for electronics hardware, engineering, and manufacturing-linked IT companies. Applicable benefits include income tax holidays on export income, duty-free import of capital goods and raw materials, and IGST exemptions.
CSEZ infrastructure is government-managed and prioritises reliability over design premium. Buildings within the zone have undergone periodic upgrades; newer IT/ITES buildings such as Muthoot Technopolis offer better Grade A finishes. ESG and LEED certifications are not a primary feature of CSEZ buildings, though individual tenants may maintain their own ESG standards.
CSEZ's dedicated 25MVA/110kV electrical substation, fully independent of the KSEB urban grid, is the single biggest infrastructure differentiator. The zone is exempt from routine power cuts applied to regular KSEB consumers, making it highly suitable for electronics hardware manufacturing and IT operations requiring uninterrupted power. The BSNL 1,000-line dedicated exchange, on-site optical fibre network, and proximity to the VSNL international gateway (shared with the adjacent Infopark/SmartCity cluster) complete the connectivity picture. *Document prepared by Zreo, AI-Powered Occupier Intelligence | zreo.in* *Data sourced from: CBRE–CREDAI Kerala 'Kerala's Ascent' Report (February 2025), Infopark Kochi official sources, SmartCity Kochi official sources, CSEZ authority data, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), Kerala Wikipedia corpus, and primary real estate market sources. All distances are in kilometres. Rental rates, vacancy, and occupancy data intentionally excluded.*