Singapore's envoy Simon Wong calls India a key pillar of regional prosperity, highlighting the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He notes that Asia's growth depends on India and China, backed by Singapore's $192B investment.
Underscoring India's central role in shaping Asia's future, Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, said Singapore sees India as a key pillar of regional prosperity and has elevated bilateral ties to their "highest possible level" through a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The upgrade follows high-level engagements in 2024, including the visit of Narendra Modi to Singapore and a reciprocal visit by Singapore's Prime Minister, marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
"We have done very few comprehensive strategic partnerships across the board, and India is one of the few partners that we have," Wong said in an interview with ANI on Wednesday.
India as an 'Engine of Growth' for Asia
Highlighting Singapore's long-term strategic outlook, Wong said Asia's growth depends on multiple engines. "For Asia to thrive, there are two big engines, China and India, alongside the rise of ASEAN. The prosperity and peace in the region cannot be achieved without India's success," he noted.
Expanding Investment Horizons
Backing this vision with investments, Singapore has cumulatively invested around $192 billion in India between 2000 and 2025, making it India's largest single-country investor for over a decade. Notably, in terms of FDI, as of December 2025, according to DPIT, Singapore accounted for almost 25% of India's FDI equity inflow in USD terms, at a cumulative equity inflow of about USD 192.5 billion since April 2000.
Focus on Uttar Pradesh and New Corridors
Wong also pointed to the growing importance of Uttar Pradesh as a key investment destination. Singapore has around $6-7 billion in investment commitments in Uttar Pradesh. The envoy also highlighted opportunities beyond the NCR region, including Gorakhpur and Kushinagar, especially in tourism along the Buddhist circuit. He added that Singapore is exploring investments in the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) area and Jhansi in Southern UP, following an invitation from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Wong also said that Singapore is now looking beyond traditional investment hubs such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, and focusing on the eastern corridor, including Assam, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as northern India.
Connectivity and Skill Development as a Key Pillar
A key pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is connectivity, particularly in aviation. Singapore is keen to collaborate with India on Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services, alongside skill development initiatives to support the sector. "This must go hand in hand with skills training. You cannot build MRO facilities and import all your workforce," Wong said.
Opportunities in Aviation Services
He also highlighted opportunities in airline catering and food processing, noting that the Singapore company SATS' food processing facility in Bangalore has the capacity to produce up to one million in-flight meals daily.
A Pragmatic, Results-Driven Partnership
Describing Singapore's approach as pragmatic and results-driven, Wong said both countries are focused on measurable outcomes through mechanisms like the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, which reviews and advances projects regularly.
Reaffirming confidence in India's trajectory, he said, "India's growth is unstoppable, and our partnership is designed to grow alongside it."
Milestones in Bilateral Relations
Notably, India-Singapore relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore in September 2024. With shared history, a long tradition of friendship based on trust and mutual respect, and extensive cooperation across a wide range of areas, India-Singapore cooperation has deepened and diversified over the years.
Prime Minister Modi visited Singapore on 04-05 September 2024. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited India from 02-04 September 2025. During this visit, a Roadmap for India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP Roadmap) was adopted, and MoUs in the areas of Green & Digital Shipping Corridor, Space, Civil Aviation, Digital Asset Innovation and establishment of a National CoE for skilling in advanced manufacturing in Chennai were exchanged.
Singapore is India's largest trade partner in ASEAN. It is the leading source of FDI, among the largest sources of External Commercial Borrowings and Foreign Portfolio Investment. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)