New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began an official visit to Singapore on October 9, which will continue until October 11, to hold high-level meetings with the country’s leadership, senior business executives and global institutional investors.
During the visit, Sitharaman is scheduled to meet Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, according to an official statement.
The engagements aim to strengthen the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance cooperation in trade, investment, financial connectivity and other key sectors.
India-Singapore Talks to Focus on Trade, Investment and Technology
The discussions will cover key areas of the bilateral partnership and follow up on the outcomes of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR).
The areas of cooperation include trade and investment, digital financial connectivity, capital markets, taxation, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, skill development and aviation.
Sitharaman will also engage with leading Singaporean and international investors, financial institutions and business leaders through a roundtable with hedge fund and portfolio fund managers, along with a series of Government-to-Business (G2B) meetings.
These interactions are expected to provide an opportunity to exchange views on India’s economic growth, investment opportunities and the evolving global economic and financial landscape.
Sitharaman to Meet Global Investment and Business Leaders
The Finance Minister will hold one-to-one meetings with senior executives from leading global financial institutions, investment firms, healthcare companies and other businesses.
The planned engagements include representatives and senior leaders from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), Temasek Holdings, DBS Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, British International Investment, IHH Healthcare, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), B Capital and HPS Investment Partners.
She is also scheduled to meet the chairperson of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB), a director on the board of Mitsui & Co., and the executive chairman and founding partner of TPG.
The meetings are aimed at strengthening engagement with global investors and exploring opportunities for greater investment in India.
Singapore Among India’s Largest Sources of Foreign Investment
Singapore is India’s largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), with cumulative inflows of approximately $194.68 billion between April 2000 and March 2026.
Singapore-based institutional investors, including GIC and Temasek, have significant investments across various sectors of the Indian economy.
Platforms such as the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and GIFT City could provide additional avenues for Singaporean capital to participate in India’s growth, including through investment vehicles and funds.
Sitharaman’s visit is expected to strengthen economic and financial cooperation between the two countries and encourage further engagement between Indian and Singaporean businesses and investors.