The High Commission of India, in partnership with agencies of the Governments of India and Singapore, chambers of commerce, professional associations and innovation labs, organised the two-day Business and Innovation Summit, ‘India-Singapore: The Next Phase’, on September 9-10, 2019 at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and India-Singapore relations were some of the topics under the spotlight at the joint summit in the Lion City.

The Summit, consisting of two inter-related conferences; a business event and the third edition of the India-Singapore Innovation and Start-up platform – InSpreneur, was attended by India’s Minister of External Affairs Mr. S Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Mr. Vivian Balakrishnan, among others. Mr. Jaishankar, who served as High Commissioner of India to Singapore from 2007 to 2009, emphasised the close nature of the ties between India and Singapore throughout his visit. He added that Singapore was the first country with whom India had signed the comprehensive economic partnership agreement.

During his address at the summit, Mr. Balakrishnan said that Singapore can help India across multiple areas such as infrastructure planning, water conservation and business expansion and pointed out that Singapore was a natural partner for India in achieving its goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024. He added that Singapore remains the ideal gateway for Indian firms as they expand into the region, noting that there are already more than 8,000 Indian companies in Singapore – the largest foreign contingent here. The Ministers also co-chaired the 6th Meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) where the two sides reviewed a range of bilateral issues further deepening the strategic partnership between both countries. Mr. Jaishankar also called on Singapore’s Prime Minister Mr. Lee Hsien Loong.

COMPAD Chairman Dhanendra Kumar had been invited to attend the conference and chair a panel session on Real Estate and Affordable Housing along with Shazad Nasim of Meinhardt Raj Menda of RMZ group and Mr. S Datta of Tata Reality. Subsequently, Dhanendra Kumar also called on Singapore Foreign Minister Mr. Balakrishnan along with Mr. Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner of Singapore.