Singapore: The strengthening of bilateral ties between Singapore and India offers Indian companies the benefit of using Singapore as a gateway to boost their overall regional and global presence, reports www.GuideMeSingapore.com.

Recently, the Indian Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Mr. Anand Sharma led a high level delegation to Singapore to explore the possibilities of strengthening bilateral trade relations between India, Singapore and ASEAN. Similarly in 2010, a Singapore delegation visited India to discuss ways of enhancing trade opportunities and cultural relations between both the countries. On both occasions the Singapore government highlighted the feasibility of using Singapore as an operational base for Indians who want to do business in the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore’s enduring advantages such as the low taxes; extensive tax treaty network with major trading partners; strategic location at the heart of ASEAN; availability of a talented and productive workforce; world-class infrastructure; an effective legal system; and a stable socio-political climate are encouraging more Indian businesses in Singapore company formation. More than 200,000 Indian expatriates are reported to be living in Singapore while there are more than 4,000 Indian companies operating in the Republic. According to news reports, Singapore-India bilateral trade has been growing at an annual rate of 30%.

GuideMeSingapore.com’s analysis of Singapore-India trade figures shows that India was Singapore’s 11th largest trading partner in 2009. The Singapore Department of Statistics’ FDI figures reveal that India invested S$11billion in Singapore in 2008 alone. A number of leading Indian companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Fortis Healthcare, infrastructure giant GMR Group, logistics firm GATI, and engineering solutions firm Voltas, to name a few, have set up a company in Singapore.

According to Ms. Jacqueline Low, the Director of Singapore company formation agency Janus Corporate Solutions – the parent of GuideMeSingapore.com site, the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) that facilitates trade and investment between Singapore and India is a major pull factor for Indian companies to set up a business in Singapore. The second review of CECA kick-started last year and will include identifying ways in which Indian firms can expand in the Asia Pacific region using Singapore as their regional base and exploring ways to facilitate the movement of Indian professionals to Singapore. Currently, Indian professionals and entrepreneurs can relocate to Singapore for business or employment under the Singapore Employment Pass or Singapore EntrePass visa schemes.

“Having achieved success on Indian soil, Indian companies now want to expand their operations on a larger scale. With Asia poised as the next economic growth engine, Singapore is a natural choice as a regional operational base as it poses the least barriers for doing business. We have witnessed an increase in the number of enquiries from Indian firms about our Singapore company incorporation services over the past six months and we expect more Indian companies to set up office here,” said Ms. Low.

More information about starting a business in Singapore can be found at http://www.guidemesingapore.com/incorporation/company/singapore-company-registration-guide.