diff --git a/lib/mldev/meson.build b/lib/mldev/meson.build
index e378cfca30..5c99532c1a 100644
--- a/lib/mldev/meson.build
+++ b/lib/mldev/meson.build
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2022 Marvell.
 
 sources = files(
+        'rte_mldev_pmd.c',
         'rte_mldev.c',
 )
 
@@ -9,6 +10,14 @@ headers = files(
         'rte_mldev.h',
 )
 
+indirect_headers += files(
+        'rte_mldev_core.h',
+)
+
+driver_sdk_headers += files(
+        'rte_mldev_pmd.h',
+)
+
 deps += ['mempool']
 
 if get_option('buildtype').contains('debug')
diff --git a/lib/mldev/rte_mldev.c b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev.c
index 70aad4c44b..06396de680 100644
--- a/lib/mldev/rte_mldev.c
+++ b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev.c
@@ -4,5 +4,134 @@
 
 #include <rte_log.h>
 #include <rte_mldev.h>
+#include <rte_mldev_pmd.h>
+
+static struct rte_ml_dev ml_devices[RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS];
+
+static struct rte_ml_dev_global ml_dev_globals = {
+	.devs = ml_devices, .data = {NULL}, .nb_devs = 0, .max_devs = RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS};
+
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_dev(int16_t dev_id)
+{
+	return &ml_dev_globals.devs[dev_id];
+}
+
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_named_dev(const char *name)
+{
+	struct rte_ml_dev *dev;
+	int16_t dev_id;
+
+	if (name == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	for (dev_id = 0; dev_id < RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS; dev_id++) {
+		dev = rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_dev(dev_id);
+		if ((dev->attached == ML_DEV_ATTACHED) && (strcmp(dev->data->name, name) == 0))
+			return dev;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_allocate(const char *name, uint8_t socket_id)
+{
+	char mz_name[RTE_MEMZONE_NAMESIZE];
+	const struct rte_memzone *mz;
+	struct rte_ml_dev *dev;
+	int16_t dev_id;
+
+	if (rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_named_dev(name) != NULL) {
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(ERR, "ML device with name %s already allocated!", name);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* Get a free device ID */
+	for (dev_id = 0; dev_id < RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS; dev_id++) {
+		dev = rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_dev(dev_id);
+		if (dev->attached == ML_DEV_DETACHED)
+			break;
+	}
+
+	if (dev_id == RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS) {
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(ERR, "Reached maximum number of ML devices");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (dev->data == NULL) {
+		/* Reserve memzone name */
+		sprintf(mz_name, "rte_ml_dev_data_%d", dev_id);
+		if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+			mz = rte_memzone_reserve(mz_name, sizeof(struct rte_ml_dev_data), socket_id,
+						 0);
+			RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "PRIMARY: reserved memzone for %s (%p)", mz_name, mz);
+		} else {
+			mz = rte_memzone_lookup(mz_name);
+			RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "SECONDARY: looked up memzone for %s (%p)", mz_name,
+				      mz);
+		}
+
+		if (mz == NULL)
+			return NULL;
+
+		ml_dev_globals.data[dev_id] = mz->addr;
+		if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
+			memset(ml_dev_globals.data[dev_id], 0, sizeof(struct rte_ml_dev_data));
+
+		dev->data = ml_dev_globals.data[dev_id];
+		if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+			strlcpy(dev->data->name, name, RTE_ML_STR_MAX);
+			dev->data->dev_id = dev_id;
+			dev->data->socket_id = socket_id;
+			dev->data->dev_started = 0;
+			RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "PRIMARY: init mldev data");
+		}
+
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "Data for %s: dev_id %d, socket %u", dev->data->name,
+			      dev->data->dev_id, dev->data->socket_id);
+
+		dev->attached = ML_DEV_ATTACHED;
+		ml_dev_globals.nb_devs++;
+	}
+
+	return dev;
+}
+
+int
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_release(struct rte_ml_dev *dev)
+{
+	char mz_name[RTE_MEMZONE_NAMESIZE];
+	const struct rte_memzone *mz;
+	int16_t dev_id;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	if (dev == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	dev_id = dev->data->dev_id;
+
+	/* Memzone lookup */
+	sprintf(mz_name, "rte_ml_dev_data_%d", dev_id);
+	mz = rte_memzone_lookup(mz_name);
+	if (mz == NULL)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	RTE_ASSERT(ml_dev_globals.data[dev_id] == mz->addr);
+	ml_dev_globals.data[dev_id] = NULL;
+
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "PRIMARY: free memzone of %s (%p)", mz_name, mz);
+		ret = rte_memzone_free(mz);
+	} else {
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(DEBUG, "SECONDARY: don't free memzone of %s (%p)", mz_name, mz);
+	}
+
+	dev->attached = ML_DEV_DETACHED;
+	ml_dev_globals.nb_devs--;
+
+	return ret;
+}
 
 RTE_LOG_REGISTER_DEFAULT(rte_ml_dev_logtype, INFO);
diff --git a/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_core.h b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_core.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c989a5ecf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_core.h
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ * Copyright (c) 2022 Marvell.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _RTE_MLDEV_INTERNAL_H_
+#define _RTE_MLDEV_INTERNAL_H_
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ *
+ * MLDEV internal header
+ *
+ * This file contains MLDEV private data structures and macros.
+ *
+ * @note
+ * These APIs are for MLDEV PMDs and library only.
+ */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include <dev_driver.h>
+#include <rte_common.h>
+#include <rte_log.h>
+#include <rte_mldev.h>
+
+/* Device state */
+#define ML_DEV_DETACHED (0)
+#define ML_DEV_ATTACHED (1)
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * The data part, with no function pointers, associated with each device. This structure is safe to
+ * place in shared memory to be common among different processes in a multi-process configuration.
+ */
+struct rte_ml_dev_data {
+	/** Unique identifier name. */
+	char name[RTE_ML_STR_MAX];
+
+	/** Device ID for this instance. */
+	int16_t dev_id;
+
+	/** Socket ID where memory is allocated. */
+	int16_t socket_id;
+
+	/** Device state: STOPPED(0) / STARTED(1) */
+	__extension__ uint8_t dev_started : 1;
+
+	/** Number of device queue pairs. */
+	uint16_t nb_queue_pairs;
+
+	/** Number of ML models. */
+	uint16_t nb_models;
+
+	/** Array of pointers to queue pairs. */
+	void **queue_pairs;
+
+	/** Array of pointers to ML models. */
+	void **models;
+
+	/** PMD-specific private data. */
+	void *dev_private;
+
+	/** Reserved for future fields */
+	uint64_t reserved[3];
+} __rte_cache_aligned;
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * The data structure associated with each ML device.
+ */
+struct rte_ml_dev {
+	/** Pointer to device data. */
+	struct rte_ml_dev_data *data;
+
+	/** Backing RTE device. */
+	struct rte_device *device;
+
+	/** Flag indicating the device is attached. */
+	__extension__ uint8_t attached : 1;
+} __rte_cache_aligned;
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Global structure used for maintaining state of allocated ML devices.
+ */
+struct rte_ml_dev_global {
+	/** Device information array. */
+	struct rte_ml_dev *devs;
+
+	/** Device private data array. */
+	struct rte_ml_dev_data *data[RTE_MLDEV_MAX_DEVS];
+
+	/** Number of devices found. */
+	uint8_t nb_devs;
+
+	/** Maximum number of devices. */
+	uint8_t max_devs;
+};
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* _RTE_MLDEV_INTERNAL_H_ */
diff --git a/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.c b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3169e5d4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ * Copyright (c) 2022 Marvell.
+ */
+
+#include <dev_driver.h>
+#include <rte_eal.h>
+#include <rte_malloc.h>
+
+#include "rte_mldev_pmd.h"
+
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_create(const char *name, struct rte_device *device,
+		      struct rte_ml_dev_pmd_init_params *params)
+{
+	struct rte_ml_dev *dev;
+
+	RTE_MLDEV_LOG(INFO, "ML device initialisation - name: %s, socket_id: %u", name,
+		      params->socket_id);
+
+	/* Allocate device structure */
+	dev = rte_ml_dev_pmd_allocate(name, params->socket_id);
+	if (dev == NULL) {
+		RTE_MLDEV_LOG(ERR, "Failed to allocate ML device for %s", name);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* Allocate private device structure */
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+		dev->data->dev_private =
+			rte_zmalloc_socket("ml_dev_private", params->private_data_size,
+					   RTE_CACHE_LINE_SIZE, params->socket_id);
+
+		if (dev->data->dev_private == NULL) {
+			RTE_MLDEV_LOG(ERR, "Cannot allocate memory for mldev %s private data",
+				      name);
+			rte_ml_dev_pmd_release(dev);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+	dev->device = device;
+
+	return dev;
+}
+
+int
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_destroy(struct rte_ml_dev *dev)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	RTE_MLDEV_LOG(INFO, "Releasing ML device - name: %s", dev->device->name);
+	ret = rte_ml_dev_pmd_release(dev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
+		rte_free(dev->data->dev_private);
+
+	dev->data = NULL;
+	dev->device = NULL;
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.h b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33544f1b80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mldev/rte_mldev_pmd.h
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ * Copyright (c) 2022 Marvell.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _RTE_MLDEV_PMD_H_
+#define _RTE_MLDEV_PMD_H_
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ *
+ * RTE MLDEV PMD APIs
+ *
+ * ML Device PMD interface
+ *
+ * @note
+ * These APIs are for MLDEV PMDs only and user applications should not call them directly.
+ */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include <rte_common.h>
+#include <rte_compat.h>
+#include <rte_mldev.h>
+#include <rte_mldev_core.h>
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Initialisation parameters for ML devices.
+ */
+struct rte_ml_dev_pmd_init_params {
+	/** Socket to use for memory allocation. */
+	uint8_t socket_id;
+
+	/** Size of device private data. */
+	uint64_t private_data_size;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Get the ML device pointer for the device. Assumes a valid device index.
+ *
+ * @param dev_id
+ *	Device ID value to select the device structure.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *	The rte_ml_dev pointer for the given device ID.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_dev(int16_t dev_id);
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Get the rte_ml_dev structure device pointer for the named device.
+ *
+ * @param name
+ *	Device name to select the device structure.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *	The rte_ml_dev pointer for the given device ID.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_named_dev(const char *name);
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Allocates a new mldev slot for an ML device and returns the pointer to that slot for use.
+ * Function for internal use by dummy drivers.
+ *
+ * @param name
+ *	Unique identifier name for each device.
+ * @param socket_id
+ *	Socket to allocate resources.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *	Slot in the rte_ml_dev_devices array for a new device.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_allocate(const char *name, uint8_t socket_id);
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Release the specified mldev device.
+ *
+ * @param dev
+ *	ML device.
+ * @return
+ *	- 0 on success.
+ *	- < 0, error code on failure.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+int
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_release(struct rte_ml_dev *dev);
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * PMD assist function to provide boiler plate code for ML driver to create and allocate resources
+ * for a new ML PMD device instance.
+ *
+ * @param name
+ *	ML device name.
+ * @param device
+ *	Base device handle.
+ * @param params
+ *	PMD initialisation parameters.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *	- ML device instance on success.
+ *	- NULL on failure.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+struct rte_ml_dev *
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_create(const char *name, struct rte_device *device,
+		      struct rte_ml_dev_pmd_init_params *params);
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * PMD assist function to provide boiler plate code for ML driver to destroy and free resources
+ * associated with a ML PMD device instance.
+ *
+ * @param mldev
+ *	ML device instance.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *	- 0 on success.
+ *	- < 0, error code on failure.
+ */
+__rte_internal
+int
+rte_ml_dev_pmd_destroy(struct rte_ml_dev *mldev);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* _RTE_MLDEV_PMD_H_ */
diff --git a/lib/mldev/version.map b/lib/mldev/version.map
index 3793380442..98a5e7d117 100644
--- a/lib/mldev/version.map
+++ b/lib/mldev/version.map
@@ -5,3 +5,14 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 
 	local: *;
 };
+
+INTERNAL {
+	global:
+
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_allocate;
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_create;
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_destroy;
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_dev;
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_get_named_dev;
+	rte_ml_dev_pmd_release;
+};
