Collaboration is essential among 'similar-minded' allies in a tumultuous global landscape, according to Deputy Prime Minister Gan following his trip to India.
India and Singapore have announced plans to deepen cooperation in various strategic sectors, including sustainability, digitalization, skills development, healthcare and medicine, and advanced manufacturing. This collaboration was discussed during the third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in August 2025, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The joint statement did not provide specific details about the collaboration plans, but it highlighted the establishment of a semiconductor ecosystem and a dedicated semiconductor training center in India.
In the realm of sustainability, both countries are committed to deepening collaboration on green technologies and environmental initiatives. The partnership emphasizes digital trade processes, technology, and investment in emerging digital sectors, promoting more efficient cross-border trade facilitation and digital connectivity.
The collaboration in healthcare and medicine focuses on medical innovation, public health, and pharmaceutical engagements. In advanced manufacturing, a major focus is on developing capabilities in India, including the proposed semiconductor training center to nurture expertise essential for the semiconductor sector. This supports the broader initiative to build a semiconductor ecosystem in India, leveraging Singapore's experience and investment to boost local manufacturing capacity and technology transfer.
The semiconductor industry is a key focus of the collaboration between India and Singapore. However, the specific details about the semiconductor training center and ecosystem are not provided in the joint statement.
Gan Kim Yong, in his remarks, emphasized the need to continue working with partners despite tariffs, such as the US's planned 100% levy on semiconductors, which will not apply to companies that have committed to manufacture in the US. He highlighted the importance of working with "likeminded" partners, specifically India.
The creation of the semiconductor training center and ecosystem is part of the broader discussion on deepening cooperation between India and Singapore. Mr. Gan Kim Yong mentioned the creation of an ecosystem in India for Singaporean companies, but he did not specify which Singaporean companies will take advantage of the Indian ecosystem.
These efforts are part of a strategic elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting deep bilateral economic ties, technological cooperation, and mutual investments. The 2025 engagements mark a decade of this strategic partnership and significant milestones including cooperation agreements and joint working groups focused on trade, investments, and new sector development.
The event took place on an unspecified date prior to August 13, 2020, when Mr. Gan Kim Yong spoke to reporters from New Delhi. Despite the lack of specific details, the collaboration between India and Singapore in these strategic areas promises to bring about significant developments in the coming years.
- The collaboration between India and Singapore, as mentioned by Gan Kim Yong, extends into policy-and-legislation, with a focus on shaping the semiconductor industry through the creation of a dedicated training center and ecosystem, despite potential tariffs in other regions.
- In the context of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Singapore, the establishment of a semiconductor training center and ecosystem forms part of the general-news discussions about deepening cooperation in technology sectors, particularly digitalization and advanced manufacturing.
