People from 20 countries have gathered in Singapore to explore investment
opportunities in the booming Indian economy at a two day conclave of
non-resident Indians. "The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas brings together
Incredible India on one side and the Indian diaspora on the other,"
Minister for Overseas affairs Vyalar Ravi told more than 800 delegates
who are here to attend the meet beginning tomorrow. The ballroom at
the chic Pan Pacific Hotel was spilling over with ethnic Indian delegates,
including several ministers, who have come here countries including
Mauritius, US, Australia. Noting that Non-Resident Indians today numbered
over 13 million world over, Ravi said the PBD showed that the governments
of both India and Singapore shared a passion to encourage international
trade and investment.
The entire top creme de la creme of the Singapore cabinet will address
various sessions of the meet which ends on Saturday. The special guests
at the conclave include Singapore Premier S Jayakumar and Mauritius
Prime Minister Navindchandra Ramgoolam, besides Deputy Premier of Singapore,
Rajat Nag and MD of Asian Development Bank and a host of academics,
business and corporate leaders. There will also be a special dialogue
with Senior Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong, on "Personal
Reflections on India." Goh has been largely credited with starting
the "India fever" in Singapore.
