Singapore reaffirms commitment to Amaravati and A.P. development; Naidu hails move

The Hindu

a day ago

In a significant announcement during Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's official visit to Singapore, the country's Minister for Manpower and Science & Technology, Tan See Leng, reaffirmed Singapore's readiness to partner with the Government of Andhra Pradesh in the State's development, particularly in building Amaravati and driving economic collaboration across multiple sectors.
Mr. Tan See Leng made the announcement via his official social media account, expressing Singapore's interest in working closely with Andhra Pradesh on key projects. He highlighted the State's potential in areas like agriculture, food processing, renewable energy, port development, digital technologies, and skill development. He also noted that Singaporean companies such as Food Empire and EverVolt are already looking to expand their operations in Andhra Pradesh, citing the State's rapid growth and investor-friendly climate.
Master plan
In his statement on Tuesday, Mr. Tan See Leng referenced the earlier collaboration between Singapore and Andhra Pradesh during Mr. Naidu's 2014–2019 term, particularly in shaping Amaravati's master plan. He recalled Singapore's involvement in infrastructure design and development assistance, as well as the successful participation of Singaporean firms through the Swiss Challenge method in bids for the Amaravati Start-up Area project.
However, the Minister also pointed out that after the change in administration in 2019, this collaboration came to a halt. The Singapore consortium eventually withdrew from the Amaravati project due to the lack of support from the previous State government. With the renewed leadership under Mr. Naidu, the Minister expressed hope for revitalised cooperation and confirmed Singapore's willingness to offer technical expertise and collaborate with global institutions like the World Bank on Andhra Pradesh's urban and economic development strategies.
The Chief Minister, in response, extended heartfelt thanks to Mr. Tan See Leng and the Government of Singapore on behalf of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Taking to social media, Mr. Naidu expressed his appreciation for Singapore's continued trust and partnership, calling it a positive and meaningful relationship that has played a vital role in Andhra Pradesh's growth journey. He welcomed Singapore's willingness to re-engage and emphasised that the discussions held during his visit paved the way for deeper collaboration in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, renewable energy, digital innovation, and skill development.
'Inspiration for A.P.'
Highlighting the strong bond dating back to the 1990s, the Chief Minister stated that Singapore's development policies have long served as an inspiration for Andhra Pradesh. He acknowledged the difficulties that emerged in the partnership due to past political shifts, but affirmed that with a clear public mandate and a renewed vision for growth, his government is committed to comprehensive development across the State.
Mr. Naidu reiterated that the new coalition government is determined to steer Andhra Pradesh towards its 'Swarnandhra 2047' vision, an inclusive and progressive roadmap for economic and social transformation. He emphasised that with Singapore's cooperation, the State will be better positioned to deliver on public aspirations and build world-class infrastructure and urban ecosystems.
Calling for mutual respect and collaboration, the Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh is ready to work hand-in-hand with Singapore across multiple sectors to bring about impactful, long-term development for the people of the State.