Assam CM calls on Singapore Prez, talks Assam’s role in furthering Indo-Singaporean partnership

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 11, 2025

Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma who is in Singapore as a part of his global outreach initiatives for the forthcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit, on Tuesday called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and talked on Assam’s key role in the India-Singapore comprehensive strategic partnership and Singapore’s support in Advantage Assam 2.0.

The Chief Minister also discussed with the President on the collaborative projects with special emphasis on Assam’s role as a key pillar to take the Indo-Singaporean partnership to a greater height. Dr. Sarma sharing his fond memories surrounding the President’s visit to Assam in 2022, said that he deeply appreciated Singapore’s partnership in the ensuing Advantage Assam 2.0 as he is looking forward to strengthening the mutual collaboration in emerging sectors namely semiconductors, green energy and advanced technology.

Dr. Sarma also met Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan and spoke on deepening the existing partnership between Assam and the Republic of Singapore under the overall framework of India’s Act East Policy.

As a part of his hectic parleys throughout the day, the Chief Minister also held productive discussions with the CEO of Township Vertical Sarbana Jurong, Low Cher Ek and discussed their ongoing projects in the state. They also discussed collaborative efforts to further Assam’s urban development targets in the coming days ahead of Advantage Assam 2.0. The meeting primarily sought to leverage Singaporean town planning expertise to build Assam’s future cities and industrial parks and enhance the ease of living.

The Chief Minister also held a fruitful meeting with the CEO ITE Education Services and his team. Their vision to elevate technical education and workforce readiness aligns closely with Assam’s goal to develop a large pool of skilled workforce as the Chief Minister discussed advancing technical education and skill development in Assam. Dr. Sarma also explored ITE’s top-tier faculty and industry-specific labs in aerospace, smart manufacturing and electronics to bridge the gap between industry needs and graduate expertise. He said that over the coming times State government will be exploring ways to leverage the ITE’s expertise in setting up a World Skill Centre in Assam. Dr Sarma also hailed the industry-ready courses offered by the institution in the areas of Applied and Health Sciences, Business and Services, Design and Media, Electronics and ICT, Engineering, Hospitality and Tourism.

Earlier on the day, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma held an insightful discussion with the industry leaders from ASMPT, AEM, Besi, Temasek, Silicon Box, Nitto Denko Corp, Heller Industries, and Meinhardt Group to carry forward the momentum of collaboration in different sectors particularly in the semiconductor industry. The discussion focussed on potential collaborations, emphasizing the significance of the sectors in strengthening India-Singapore ties and partnering with Assam in the upcoming electronic city in Jagiroad.