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‘Zak Salaam India’ opens in Singapore

SINGAPORE: A five-day expo, under the banner of ‘Zak Salaam India,’ was opened here on Wednesday. India’s High Commissioner S. Jaishankar said the event would “contribute to the larger cause” of the already “strong” ties with Singapore.

The expo, being held here for the second successive year, has brought together nearly 200 Indian companies, including some abroad, across a spectrum of services and products, according to the organisers — the Chennai-based Zak Trade Fairs & Exhibitions.

Looking at Singapore through the prism of economic opportunities in the entire Southeast Asian region, the organisers presented “Indo-ASEAN Business Initiative Awards” as a “value-add” highlight of the first day of the expo.

The winners, all from India-based services-sector companies with links to this region, were chosen by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.

A fashion event, focussing on the saree as suitable attire for women in the global village, was choreographed by Shaina N.C.

Earlier in the day, the expo was formally launched at a brief session of speeches.

Dr. Jaishankar said: “At the moment, what you have is a strong institutional connection between India and Singapore, between the polities, [among] the trade corporations. There are structural affinities and relationships. The challenge that still lies ahead of us is: How do you get a stronger people-to-people connect? We are looking at a far deeper connect between India and Singapore. The challenge is [one of] raising the bar and looking for new ideas.”

Dr. Jaishankar praised Zak Trade Fairs & Exhibitions Chairman and Managing Director Syed Zakir Ahmed for thinking of some new initiatives for this expo and for not going on “auto-pilot” and replicating last year’s event.

Singapore Tourism Board Director Catherine McNabb conveyed the City-State’s support for the expo.

Anna University Vice-Chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar focussed on the need for “coordination and interaction between university and industry.” Education figures in the expo as a key facet; and the organisers said an Indian cultural show would be choreographed by Suhasini Maniratnam on August 16.

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‘Zak Salaam India’ opens in Singapore

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