**Summary:**
The 4th Meeting of the India-Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI) was held in New Delhi on August 14, 2025, co-chaired by Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India, and Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore. The meeting built upon discussions from the 3rd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held the previous day. Discussions centered on strengthening bilateral trade and investment, prioritizing key sectors for alignment, enhancing logistics and supply chains, simplifying regulatory frameworks, and facilitating cross-border trade.
Key areas of focus included ongoing collaboration in the semiconductor sector and trade digitalization, with exploration of new partnerships in skills development, capacity building, and emerging sectors. The meeting acknowledged the significance of 2025, marking the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Singapore is India's largest trading partner within ASEAN, with total bilateral trade reaching USD 34.26 billion in 2024-25. It also stands as India's second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with equity inflows of USD 163.85 billion (INR 11,24,509.65 crore) between April 2000 and July 2024, representing approximately 24% of India's cumulative inflows. Both sides committed to more frequent engagements to achieve tangible results from identified opportunities. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Delhi released this information on August 15, 2025, at 3:34 PM, Release ID: 2156826.
Key Entities Referenced
India-Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade Investment JWGTI: A bilateral working group focused on strengthening trade and investment ties between India and Singapore.
New Delhi: The location of the 4th Meeting of the India-Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade Investment, held in Delhi, India.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry: The Indian ministry responsible for trade and industrial policy, which hosted the JWGTI meeting.
Shri Rajesh Agrawal: Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who co-chaired the JWGTI meeting.
Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore: The Singaporean ministry responsible for trade and industrial policy.
Dr. Beh Swan Gin: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore, who co-chaired the JWGTI meeting.
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement CECA: A trade agreement between India and Singapore, signed in 2005, marking a significant milestone in bilateral economic relations.
ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Singapore is Indias largest trading partner within ASEAN
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
4th Meeting of India-Singapore Joint Working Group
on Trade & Investment (JWGTI) held in New Delhi
Bilateral talks focus on trade facilitation, investment
promotion, and new areas of cooperation
India–Singapore partnership marks 60 years of
diplomatic relations and 20 years of CECA
Posted On: 15 AUG 2025 3:34PM by PIB Delhi
The 4th Meeting of the India–Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade & Investment (JWGTI) was hosted
by India at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, on 14th August 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Special
Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Shri Rajesh Agrawal and
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore, Dr. Beh Swan Gin. The meeting followed
the 3rd India–Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held a day earlier.
Discussions during the JWGTI focused on deepening bilateral trade and investment ties, identifying priority
sectors for greater alignment, improving logistics and supply chains, streamlining regulatory frameworks, and
exploring ways to facilitate cross-border trade.
Shri Rajesh Agrawal noted that the India–Singapore relationship has evolved well beyond traditional trade.
While the two countries already enjoy robust engagement in trade and investment, there remain ample
opportunities for further cooperation.
The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and
Singapore, as well as the 20th anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
The CECA, signed in 2005, was the first comprehensive trade agreement India entered into with any partner
and Singapore’s first such pact with a South Asian country.
Singapore is India’s largest trading partner within ASEAN, with total bilateral trade of USD 34.26 billion
during 2024–25. It is also India’s second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with equity
inflows of USD 163.85 billion (INR 11,24,509.65 crore) between April 2000 and July 2024, accounting for
about 24% of India’s cumulative inflows.
The meeting reviewed ongoing collaboration in areas such as the semiconductor sector and digitalisation of
trade, and explored potential partnerships in skills development, capacity building, and other emerging sectors
for mutual benefit. Both sides agreed on the importance of more frequent engagements to translate these
opportunities into concrete outcomes.
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Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas(Release ID: 2156826)