New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded an official visit to Singapore from October 8 to 11, 2026, focusing on boosting investment in India, strengthen financial ties, and expand cooperation in the fields of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.
During her visit, Sitharaman held talks with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
The discussions reviewed progress made under the ‘India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable’ and explored ways to strengthen economic ties between the two nations ahead of Singapore’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2027.
At a business roundtable with leading global investors, including BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, Temasek, Deutsche Bank and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Sitharaman highlighted India’s growth potential, economic resilience and policy reforms. Separate meetings explored investment opportunities in infrastructure, AI, semiconductors, data centers, renewable energy, manufacturing, healthcare, fintech and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The visit also advanced discussions on financial innovation. Meetings with Singapore’s Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) covered asset tokenisation, digital money, central bank digital currencies and cross-border financial connectivity. Business discussions also addressed semiconductor investment, AI skills development, electric mobility, aviation maintenance and sustainable finance.
Sitharaman encouraged investors to explore investment opportunities through the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC).
Discussions with the Singapore Business Federation focused on strengthening business partnerships, facilitating specific business meetings, and encouraging Singaporean business delegations to visit India.
The discussion aims to boost investor confidence, mobilize long-term capital, and strengthen India-Singapore cooperation in strategic sectors. Sitharaman was accompanied by the CEO of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), the Chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), and senior officials from the Department of Economic Affairs.
(PIB)
