GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 9th Oct: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on an official visit to Singapore from October 9 to 11, with a packed schedule of high-level meetings with Singapore’s political leadership, business executives and global institutional investors.
The visit aims to strengthen the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a particular focus on investment, financial connectivity, trade and emerging technology sectors.
During the visit, Sitharaman is scheduled to call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Discussions will cover key areas of bilateral cooperation and advance the outcomes of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR). The agenda includes trade and investment, digital financial connectivity, capital markets, taxation, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, skill development and aviation.
Singapore remains India’s largest source of foreign direct investment, with cumulative FDI inflows of approximately USD 194.68 billion between April 2000 and March 2026. Singapore-based institutional investors, including GIC and Temasek, also maintain substantial investments across the Indian economy.
A major component of the visit will be a business roundtable with hedge fund and portfolio fund managers, alongside Government-to-Business meetings with leading investors, financial institutions and business leaders.
The interactions are expected to provide a platform for discussing India’s economic growth, investment opportunities and the changing global economic and financial landscape.
Sitharaman will also hold individual meetings with senior executives from prominent global financial institutions, investment firms and healthcare companies. The organisations include the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), Temasek Holdings, DBS Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, British International Investment, IHH Healthcare, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, B Capital, HPS Investment Partners, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, Mitsui and TPG.
The discussions are intended to strengthen engagement with global investors and explore opportunities for expanding investment and business partnerships in India.
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and GIFT City are among the platforms identified as potential avenues for greater participation by Singaporean capital, including through investment vehicles and funds.
The Ministry of Finance, in coordination with relevant ministries and industry bodies, will facilitate connections between interested Singaporean investors and Indian companies, financial institutions and state governments. The ministry also plans to provide support to help advance investment opportunities identified during the engagements.
The visit underscores India’s focus on translating its close political relationship with Singapore into stronger investment flows, commercial partnerships and tangible economic outcomes.
