Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore provided an opportunity for Indian interns to interact with him. He met with interns from Odisha's World Skill Center, who were visiting Singapore for skill development training, and those who have visited India as part of the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme. PM Modi praised the cooperation between India and Singapore in promoting skill development, highlighting the significance of human talent and innovation. Moreover, he also met with Indian engineers in AEM Holdings during his trip, discussing important issues in the field of skill development.
During his visit to Singapore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will be deepening its strategic partnership with the nation. The Singapore-India Trade Body congratulated PM Modi on this renewed relationship, while Singapore's Foreign Minister stated that Modi will be visiting the country in the near future. As part of this elevated ties, India and Singapore have agreed to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. At the G7 Summit, migration and Indo-Pacific issues will be on the agenda with Modi in attendance. The Prime Minister also called for increased investment in India, while meeting with companies such as Foxconn and CapitaLand, who have pledged to double their investments in the country.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended Singapore and its fourth generation leadership during his visit to the city-state, expressing confidence in their rapid progress. He also highlighted the strong bilateral ties between the two countries, with trade and investment increasing substantially over the past decade. Singapore has also played a crucial role in India's Act East policy and both nations have collaborated on various initiatives in fields such as skilling, digitalization, and healthcare.
A new industry code of practice is being proposed in Singapore that will set safety and health standards for ride-hailing and delivery platform workers. The draft code, which is open for public feedback until September 30, aims to ensure that workers are not penalized for taking precautions during bad weather and are not burdened with excessive workloads. This move comes alongside a new Bill in Parliament that will strengthen protection for platform workers and designate them as a separate category of workers under the law. With over 70,500 platform workers in Singapore, this code of practice is an important step towards promoting a safer and healthier work environment for these workers.
A proposed industry code of practice in Singapore aims to set safety and health standards for platform workers and operators. This comes amidst concerns about time limits and safety hazards faced by workers on ride-hailing and delivery platforms, such as Grab and foodpanda. The code, which will apply to delivery workers, private-hire car drivers, and taxi drivers, is open for public feedback and will be finalized and gazetted after the consultation period. The move coincides with the upcoming parliamentary debates on a new Bill that will provide greater protections for platform workers. According to a report by the Ministry of Manpower, there were 70,500 platform workers in Singapore in 2020.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Brunei for his first-ever bilateral visit to the country. He was warmly welcomed by Crown Prince His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, marking a significant moment for the 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. From Brunei, PM Modi will continue his two-nation tour with a visit to Singapore where he will meet with leaders of the country's business community, further strengthening India's relationship with both countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first to visit Brunei on a bilateral trip, as part of his two-nation tour which includes Singapore. He aims to strengthen India's historical ties with Brunei and deepen the strategic partnership with Singapore. During his visit, Modi will also meet with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who has been ruling Brunei for over 50 years and is known for his extravagant lifestyle and the world's largest private car collection.
In a major development for the aviation industry, the Government of India has granted approval for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the merger between Vistara and Air India. The deal, which aims to create a dominant full-service airline in both domestic and international markets, has been cleared by both Indian and Singaporean antitrust regulators. Following the consolidation, Singapore Airlines will hold a 25.1 percent stake in the combined group, with Vistara set to merge into Air India in November 2024. Customers will gradually no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara starting September 3, as they will be redirected to the combined group.
Rakesh Gangwal's family trust sold a 5.24% stake in InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, for Rs 9,549 crore through open market transactions. This comes after Gangwal's decision in February 2022 to reduce his shareholding following a feud with co-founder Rahul Bhatia. In addition, Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte acquired a 0.74% stake in the company for Rs 1,345.63 crore.
A recent advertising campaign launched by McDonald's in Singapore promoting their garlic chilli sauce as the "national sauce" has sparked controversy due to the environmental impact of the campaign. A member of the public has filed a formal complaint to the advertising standards authority, stating that the promotional messaging boasts about the large number of single-use plastic sachets given away by the fast food chain. Despite the complaint, the Advertising Standards Authority Of Singapore has ruled that the campaign does not violate their advertising code. However, the issue of plastic waste and the use of single-use sachets continues to be a growing concern, with plans to ban them in the European Union by 2030.