It is with great pleasure that I announce the launch of the Bridge Singapore Initiative, a commitment that CII made during the meeting with PM Goh in October last year.

Ten years ago, PM Goh announced his plan to spark a India fever among the business community in Singapore. Since then we have seen an increase in the number of visits to both countries, have witnessed an increase in investments from Singapore into various sectors and at the same time a  number of Indian companies in Singapore have also made Singapore as their regional headquarters.

The process of establishing the comprehensive economic co-operation agreement between India and Singapore is on track, and the reports by the joint study group will be presented to the two prime ministers today which will lead to the next round of negotiations. The launch of Network India last year in October underlines the importance that is being given to strengthening business linkages between our two countries, an initiative that CII actively supports.

Bridge Singapore is an initiave to encourage Indian companies to establish new business in Singapore and use Singapore as a springboard to access the ASEAN market or use Singapore as an extension of India to Southeast Asia and East Asia, Bridge Singapore is an initiative with which we will link Indian companeis with their Singaproe counterparts.

I thank the Singapore Business Federation who have agreed to take a lead role in Singapore and also IE Singapore, EDB, IDA and other MoU partners in Singapore who have agreed to support this initiave and make it a successful model.

I also take this opportunity to thank BG (NS) Geaorge Yeo for launching this website in the presence of the Honourable Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong.

Thank you.

Sunil Bharti Mittal
Chairman
Bridge Singapore
C/o Confederation of Indian Industry
India Habitat Centre, Core 4A
4th Floor, Lodi Road
New Delhi - 110 003, India
Tel: +91-11-24682230-35
Fax: +91-11-24682229/24682228
Web: www.ciionline.org