By – Shyamal Sinha
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said three ‘Bs’ – Buddhism, Bollywood and Business – can help expand people to people engagement and strengthen economic ties between India and Singapore.
The minister said that it is a partnership that will help us become Aatmanirbhar& also give opportunities for us to expand our global footprint.
Shri Goyal urged businesses to look at ways how we can expand the engagement and encourage India’s youth to use more innovative technologies. He said India & Singapore are working together in cyber security & disaster relief, and Education and skill development can be taken up as pillars where we can work together and learn from Singapore’s experience. E-Commerce, Fintech, smart manufacturing, healthcare are significant areas where India offers a large market. He said that our working together in these areas can truly transform India’s own effort to give the best to our people.
Shri Goyal quoted Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as saying that “Singapore is our spring board to the ASEAN region”. Shri Goyal expressed the belief that the new regional order that will emerge, will rest on the strong shoulders of Singapore & India. He said that through budget 2021-22 and various other measures, Prime Minister has been trying to prepare the country to engage with the world from a position of strength, in the next decade. Similarly, the Singapore budget also this year has focused a lot on transformation and innovation. He expressed happiness that Singapore and the GIFT city which is our first operational smart city, have tied up with the Singapore exchange to boost international investment in India.
He said education and skill development can be taken up as pillars where both the sides can work together and learn from Singapore’s experience.
‘I look at expanding the Singapore-India ties resting on a greater degree of people-to-people engagement and I think that can rest on 3 ‘Bs’. The 3 ‘Bs’ that I think can expand our people to people engagement are – Budhism, Bollywood and Business,’ he said while addressing India-Singapore CEO Forum .
He added that in the post-COVID period, ‘I would like to invite all of you and experience Buddhism, enjoy bollywood and engage in business in India’.
The minister also suggested two areas for enhancing cooperation and that includes ways to promote women entrepreneurship.
‘Can we look at that engagement being taken forward to help us understand what Singapore does to promote women entrepreneurs and whether we can pull out a leaf or two from your own experiences.
Source — PTI
