Singapore ready to partner Andra Pradesh
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held 26 high-level meetings with Singapore Ministers and business leaders, calling for investments in a wide range of industries and infrastructure development in Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu visited Singapore 27-30 July, outlined his vision for Andhra Pradesh as a premier destination for technology, infrastructure, and green energy and the revival of Amaravati capital city during meetings with ministers, heads of global corporations and financial institutions.
He also called on Singapore President Tharman Shangmugaratnam.
During his meeting with Manpower and Trade & Industry Minister Dr Tan See Leng he assured that his government was committed to transparency and investor protection.
“Our intention is not just to invite investments but to restore credibility,” said Naidu. “Those who once believed in Andhra Pradesh deserve respect and fairness.”
Welcoming the CM’s renewed approach, after having been re-elected CM, Dr Tan assured that Singapore was “fully prepared to be a partner in the development of Andhra Pradesh and its capital city, Amaravati.”
The Singapore Minister referenced the period between 2019 and 2024, during which several bilateral projects were derailed, and commended Naidu’s efforts to resume collaboration.
A highlight of Naidu’s visit was his tour of the Bidadari Housing Project, an eco-friendly urban estate home to over 10,000 families. He praised Singapore’s Housing Development Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority for their sustainable planning and expressed hope to implement similar models in Andhra Pradesh, especially in Amaravati.
“Amaravati will reflect world-class innovation and sustainability,” said Naidu, reiterating that the Singapore Government had provided the capital’s master plan and that collaboration with the World Bank remains crucial.
Dr Tan reaffirmed Singapore’s long-term commitment to Andhra Pradesh. He mentioned that, while the original consortium involved in Amaravati’s development had pulled out in 2019, Singapore remains eager to provide technical expertise in urban planning, infrastructure, and governance.
Naidu also visited Jurong Petrochemical Island, where he noted key features like integrated safety systems, green energy practices, and industrial planning that could be adopted in Andhra Pradesh’s ports and industrial corridors.
The visiting CM pitched Visakhapatnam as the future growth engine of Andhra Pradesh during a roundtable with representatives from 41 companies.
He highlighted data centres, AI research, real estate and aerospace as priority sectors and cited an MoU signed with Google for a data centre in Visakhapatnam. He also emphasised ongoing expansions by Tata Group and Cognizant among others.
In a meeting with Lim Yong Wei of Keppel Corporation, Naidu discussed partnerships in IT, commerce, and housing projects in Visakhapatnam and Amaravati.
Further meetings with executives from GIC, SIA Engineering and AI Singapore covered topics including airport development, subsea cables, AI training centres and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) services.
Naidu, in turn, extended an invitation to the Singapore Government to attend the Global Investors’ Summit in Visakhapatnam in November and expressed gratitude for the renewed support.
Throughout the visit, Naidu engaged with several major corporations and institutions including CapitaLand Investment (India), Temasek Holdings, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Surbana Jurong, Sembcorp, TVS Motors, Mandai Wildlife Group, and Adani Ports.
He proposed developing IT parks, digital hubs, and industrial corridors across Andhra Pradesh and invited partnerships in biodiversity parks and eco-tourism projects like Dolphin City in Visakhapatnam.
CapitaLand officials, with a strong portfolio in Hyderabad, expressed intent to expand into Amaravati and Tirupati. Mandai Wildlife Group showed interest in Andhra Pradesh’s eco-tourism projects modelled after Singapore’s Garden City.
Naidu said the visit was a major step towards restoring Andhra Pradesh’s credibility on the global stage. “This trip has laid a strong foundation for long-term collaboration with Singapore and global investors,” he said.
He emphasised that partnerships rooted in mutual respect would help Andhra Pradesh and Singapore drive inclusive, sustainable development across sectors. fiinews.com
