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India, Singapore forge AI & Chip pact amid US tariff heat
India and Singapore signed new pacts on AI, semiconductors, and trade as PM Modi and PM Wong deepened ties, aiming to offset US tariff pressures and boost bilateral growth opportunities.
Singapore is already India’s top source of FDI, contributing nearly one-fourth of all equity inflows since 2000
India and Singapore on Thursday signed a series of agreements spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors, shipping and aviation, marking a deepening of ties as New Delhi accelerates efforts to blunt the impact of Washington’s 50% tariffs, Bloomberg reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling Singapore a “strong pillar of our Act East Policy,” said technology and innovation are now central to the two nations’ relationship. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, on his maiden visit to India since taking office, echoed the sentiment, stressing that cooperation will move beyond training to include semiconductor research, supply chains, and logistics.
“These efforts will generate new growth opportunities for both our countries,” Wong said, as the two leaders sealed the agreements with a hug.
The pivot comes at a crucial moment for New Delhi. The US recently doubled tariffs on Indian imports, citing Russian oil purchases, sending policymakers scrambling to deepen alternative trade relationships. Singapore, which accounts for nearly 10% of global chip output and a fifth of semiconductor equipment production, could play a pivotal role in India’s ambition to launch its first made-in-India semiconductors by year-end.
Singapore is already India’s top source of FDI, contributing nearly one-fourth of all equity inflows since 2000, with strong stakes in finance, real estate, and manufacturing. Officials said new collaborations would also extend to state-level skill centers, preparing talent pipelines in aviation and chips.
Wong’s visit follows high-level engagements with European leaders, including Germany’s Johann Wadephul, who signaled progress on a potential EU–India free trade deal. Together, these moves underline New Delhi’s push to diversify trade and technology partnerships at a time of global economic realignment.
SPOTLIGHT
The leaders highlighted how AI is emerging as a critical enabler in this shift from marketing’s traditional focus on new customers to a more sustainable model of driving growth from existing accounts.
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