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SBFUPDATE]Singapore Symposium held in New DelhiComprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and ASEAN-India FreeTrade Agreement will strengthen Singapore-India bilateral trade.SINGAPORE SYMPOSIUM- DIALOGUE SESSION WITH MM LEE, MODERATED BY PRE-EMINENTBUSINESSMAN, MR RATAN N TATA (SEATED NEXT TO MM LEE, WITH LIGHT BLUE TIE).New Delhi, an importantepicentre for internationalpolitics and trade, is fertileground for business investment.New Delhi has a highly skilledlabour force, high proportionof English-speaking population,liberalised foreign investmentregulations and potential businessopportunities in several industrysectors, said Mr Anjay Roy,Advisor to the Federation of theIndian Chamber of Commerce andIndustry (FICCI).He said that such key sectorsinclude information technology,telecommunications, hotels, banking,media and tourism.New Delhi’s manufacturing basehas grown considerably as manyconsumer goods manufacturingenterprises have established theirfactories and headquarters in thecapital. He said that Delhi’s largeconsumer market, coupled with theeasy availability of skilled labour, hasbeen a major push factor.To help SBF members tap into thevast opportunities in this cosmopolitancity, the Singapore BusinessFederation organised a fi ve-daybusiness mission last December for a19-member delegation led by Mr VikasGore, Director, DP Architects Pte Ltd.SBF’s mission roleSBF partnered the Confederation ofIndian Industry (CII) who organised therecent Singapore Symposium in NewDelhi, as well as the site visits duringthe business mission.The Confederation of IndianIndustry (CII) is an MOU partner ofSBF and CII is India’s premier businessassociation, with a direct membershipof over 7,800 organisations from theprivate and public sectors. Theseinclude SMEs and MNCs, and anindirect membership of over 90,000companies from around 385 nationaland regional sectoral associations.The highlight of the mission wasthe Singapore Symposium held onDecember 16, attended by over 170participants. Minister Mentor LeeKuan Yew was one of the speakersat the Symposium whose aim wasto share Singapore’s experience ineducation, corporate governanceand infrastructure development.Among the attendees wereseveral industry leaders includingPhilip Yeo, Chairman of SpringSingapore and Special Advisor forEconomic Development; Sat PalKhattar, Co-Chairman SingaporeIndia Partnership Foundation andChairman of Khattar Holdings; AnandSharma, Minister of Commerce andIndustry Government of India; RatanTata, Chairman of Tata Sons; andSunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman andGroup CEO of Bharti Enterprises.Business contactsSBF business mission leader MrGore said: “We share this historicalconnection, and the fact that wewere both former British coloniesmake it easier for us to do business.”Some of the best takeawaysfrom the SBF business missionwere the key contacts made by theSingapore companies in New Delhi.Participants felt that they nowhave excellent legal, operationaland strategic advice to venture intoIndia. Following the mission, threecompanies are now in pursuit ofbusiness leads that surfaced duringthe meetings in New Delhi.Several SBF mission participantsare in talks with Indian counterpartsfor possible collaboration as a resultof this visit.For more information, contactTeo Chi Howe, Senior Executive forSouth Asia at Tel: 6827-6855 ore-mail markets.sa@sbf.org.sg. +06 [ APR/MAY/JUN 2010 BIZQ