Kochi | The Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), in partnership with industry body FICCI, will host the first Kerala Aviation Summit in Kochi, airport officials said here on Wednesday.

The event will be held at Taj Cochin International Airport Hotel on August 23 and 24.

CIAL officials said the event aims to attract investment and foster innovation in the rapidly growing aviation industry.

"The summit is particularly timely, as the state government has already prepared a draft aviation policy to guide its strategic transformation," an official release said.

The event will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the evening of August 23.

He will be joined by Industries Minister P Rajeev, who will preside over the function, as well as CIAL Managing Director S Suhas.

The summit will conclude with a valedictory session, to be inaugurated by Kochi Mayor M Anil Kumar, with the participation of CIAL Managing Director S Suhas and Airport Director G Manu.

The conference will feature in-depth discussions on a wide range of topics critical to the future of aviation, the release said.

"The summit's overarching objective is to leverage Kerala's existing aviation facilities and investment opportunities to transform the state into a global and regional aviation and logistics hub. It also aims to raise public and industry awareness about key emerging sectors, including drones, digital air travel, and the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem," the release added.