When PM Modi Mentioned About 'Eating Paan' As He Pitched For 'Invest In Kashi' To Singapore CEOs

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with top business leaders and CEOs in Singapore and invited them to invest in India saying the country is ready for reforms so they should be ready to perform. The Prime Minister told CEOs of various companies in Singapore that it is a win-win situation for everyone in India and talked about ways to deepen economic linkages adding reforms are underway in India, which will encourage investment and innovation.

During the interaction, PM Modi in a lighter note, told Singapore business leaders that if they want to enjoy eating ‘paan’ then they must invest in Kashi (Varanasi).

PM Modi told them that whenever there is a discussion about ‘paan’ in India, it remains incomplete without Varanasi, from where he is an MP."

Political stability in India to continue, PM Modi tells Singapore business leaders

In his interaction with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors, Modi said India had made transformative progress in the last 10 years and would continue on the same path given its strengths of political stability, policy predictability, ease of doing business, and its reform-oriented economic agenda.

India is set to become the third largest economy in the world over the next few years, he told the CEOs from sectors, including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics.

India will require 100 new airports, more airlines, says PM Modi  

Referring to the aviation sector, Modi said India would be requiring more than 100 new airports and more airline companies to meet the rising domestic traffic.

"If there is any fastest growing aviation market in the world, it is in India... the entire sky open," the prime minister said while inviting investment in India.

He said even scrapping business in India presents huge investment opportunities, adding there are plans to scrap all old government vehicles.

Singapore CEOs who attended Modi's meeting

Lim Boon Heng (Chairman, Temasek Holdings), Lim Chow Kiat (CEO, GIC Private Limited), Goh Choon Phong (CEO, Singapore Airlines), Yam Kum Weng (CEO, Changi Airport Group), Yuen Kuan Moon (CEO, SingTel), and Piyush Gupta (CEO and Director, DBS Group) were among the corporate leaders present in the business round table, an official release said.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Home Affairs and law K Shanmugam of Singapore also participated in the event.

Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the role played by the Singaporean industry leaders in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between India and Singapore.

To further facilitate their collaboration with India, the prime minister announced the setting up of an INVEST INDIA office in Singapore.

He further added that the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would give a major thrust to bilateral economic relations.

With inputs from PTI