The Singapore government and the Tata Group are keen on working together as partners in the semiconductor space and at a meeting between Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and visiting ministers from Singapore this was one of the topics discussed.

Semiconductor is one of the areas where the Indian and Singapore administrations see scope for cooperation and “it’s a topic that was certainly discussed with Mr Chandrasekaran, and we see significant areas of partnership where we can partner with India, the Tatas and also with others,” Singapore’s Ministers for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam said in a select media briefing.

Saying that it would not be appropriate to make the discussions with Chandrasekaran public, Shanmugam said that the Tatas could do business with anyone in the world. “It’s not that they need to do it with Singapore, but they will, I think choose Singapore as a key partner.”

Tata Electronics investing up to $11 billion in India’s first semiconductor fabrication project in Dholera, Gujarat, in collaboration with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.

The island country was a serious player in the international semiconductor industry and “we are a country that Tata has had a very deep and long history, doing things in Singapore. So yes, we did talk quite in detail.”

Shanmugam and the Minister for Manpower, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng are in India to mark 30 years of DBS’ presence in the country. They will also interact  with industry leaders under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Singapore has 25 foundries, and its strength lies  in its supply chain and the equipment needed to run them. Shanmugam pointed out that the country produced one-fifth of the world’s equipment, “so obviously that is something where partnership is possible,” he added.

Other areas of collaboration that the two countries are looking at are Industrial parks, logistics and green energy.

The incoming Donald Trump administration is also expected to have a big impact on international trade policy and trade flows, said Shanmugam, due to the prospect of additional levies on imports into the US. “It may lead to greater bilateral and regional multilateral trading arrangements,” he said.

Port infrastructure is another area where Singapore is looking for more opportunities, in inland dry ports as well as new areas such as the green shipping corridor where vessels use green fuels.

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