NEW DELHI: Singapore has offered assistance to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of building smart cities in India and a pool of skilled labourers is awaiting what the Indian budget holds out for foreign investors. In what was a first visit by a foreign minister of a South-east Asian country since the Modi government took charge, Singapore’s K Shanmugam met his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and NSA Ajit Doval to pitch for greater Indian presence in the region amid recent tensions in South-east Asia. Singapore is also keen to expand defence cooperation with India and would await relaxation of FDI norms in the upcoming budget. Its defence minister is visiting Delhi in August. Both countries hold annual defence exercises while Singapore also exports arms to India. Singapore is the largest source of FDI to India. Similarly, Indian firms use Singapore as a base to expand their business in South-east Asia. “During my discussions with Swaraj, Singapore pitched for creating smart cites in India. We also want to contribute in creating a skilled labour force in India after taking a cue from the skills development centre that we are setting up in Delhi,” Shanmugam told a select media group, including ET. Not many are aware that PM Modi had led a business delegation to Singapore in 2006. And in 2014, Singapore is a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat convention. India and Singapore signed the CECA in 2005 but there are pending issues to be addressed under that agreement. Shanmugam hoped that with Modi in charge, who stresses on efficiency and faster decision making, these issues will be addressed shortly. The minister will meet the PM on Wednesday.
Singapore offers assistance to Narendra Modi government for building smart cities
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