Singapore’s Indian business community convened on October 21 for the inaugural tabla! Leadership Exchange Series, a forum aimed at enhancing trade ties and navigating the complexities of doing business in India. The event, organized jointly by tabla! and the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), provided a platform for dialogue on Singapore-India bilateral relations and strategies to manage India’s diverse regulatory environment.
The gathering, held in Singapore, drew around 90 participants, including senior executives, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs. It marked the 18th anniversary of tabla!, an English-language news outlet serving Singapore’s Indian community. The session highlighted the challenges posed by India’s diverse states, each with distinct regulations and business cultures, requiring adaptability and resilience from foreign companies.
In her keynote address, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang emphasized the growing government-level collaboration between Singapore and India. She acknowledged India as a substantial and promising market, albeit complex due to its autonomous states with varying rules and policies. Gan pledged ongoing government efforts to bridge business communities in both countries and encouraged Singapore firms to utilize resources like the Singapore Enterprise Centre in Bengaluru, launched in November 2025. The center aims to engage over 470 companies within two years through business missions, seminars, and roundtables.
The dialogue took place against the backdrop of strengthened bilateral cooperation, exemplified by the fourth India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in August. This event, alongside the India-Singapore Business Roundtable (ISBR), facilitates high-level dialogue and connections between government officials and business leaders. Singapore also looks ahead to its 2027 chairmanship of ASEAN, with ambitions to deepen ASEAN’s trade relations with India through ongoing efforts to upgrade the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), originally signed in 2009. Gan voiced optimism that revisions would lower tariff and non-tariff barriers, further expanding market access for businesses on both sides.
During a moderated discussion led by tabla! editor Venga Subramaniam, participants shared insights on overcoming regulatory hurdles, highlighting the importance of adaptability, resilience, and alignment with existing market players. Changes in state governments often bring shifts in regulations, underscoring the need for flexible business strategies.
Predeep Menon, SICCI chief executive, described the collaboration with tabla! as a reaffirmation of the chamber’s commitment to strengthening economic and multi-sectoral ties between Singapore and India. Divay Goel, chief investment officer of Prudenet Shipping Investments, reflected on the dialogue’s value, noting a strategic shift toward seeking longer-term opportunities in India rather than short-term ventures susceptible to political changes.
The event underscored the ongoing efforts to facilitate Singaporean business engagement in India amid a landscape shaped by complex regulations, shifting policies, and evolving bilateral initiatives.