INDIA On Our Minds

India On Our Minds is an excellent compilation of around 50 essays written by Singaporean friends of India. The book has been edited by Professor Tommy Koh and Harnaikh Singh and was published in 2020 by World Scientific Publishing.

Just like true friends in our lives, these individuals, from extremely diverse & accomplished backgrounds, have demonstrated the importance of a long and lasting friendship between Singapore and India. However, like honest friends, they have not shied away from highlighting aspects where this relationship is found wanting, where Singapore’s aspirations for India have not been entirely reciprocated and when India has proved frustrating.

This book is recommended for anyone who wishes to understand and appreciate the long standing relationship between these two countries. The natural readership would include Indians living and working in Singapore, Singaporean citizens of Indian descent and professionals engaged in trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries. However, the book is an excellent read for any curious reader who is keen to secure a better flavour of India, its history, culture, ethos and its people through the lens of Singapore and its people. 

The book could not have had a better forward than the one written by Emeritus Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong. After all, it was Mr. Goh Chok Tong and his visionary leadership that sowed the seeds for the ‘mild India fever’ in Singapore in 1992 . This pivotal contribution by Mr. Goh Chok Tong resulted in a complete recalibration of the Singapore - India relationship across trade, commerce, investments, culture, defence, foreign policy and diplomatic relations. Since his meeting with Prime Minister N Rao in 1992, Singapore has elevated India in its mind and soul and has constantly sought a deep and genuine friendship with India. Some of the essays chronicle how this relationship has unfolded since 1992 and where things stand today.

Whilst 1992 might be a watershed year for the contemporary Singapore - India relationship, it would be a misnomer to suggest that ties between the two countries were absent before that. In fact ties between the two have existed for centuries and Section 1of the book, Thinking About The Past provides that historical context. 

Scholars of colonial history have provided a flavour of the India - Singapore connection during the British colonial period giving readers insights how the two colonies were governed and the role  trade and commerce played. Essays have highlighted events around Indian Independence movement where Singapore provides an important backdrop (the historical Farrer Park address to the Azad Hind Army to name one). Some of the essays have gone back even further to examine the roots of the connection and attempt to explain how the cultural, economic, religious, human migration and historical exchanges have evolved, withered and cemented over time.  

The second section is devoted to more contemporary history and events. Numerous essays outline the current relationship, recent challenges (Amravati, Nalanda University, RCEP etc), the growing trade and investment between the two countries, defence ties and modern cultural exchanges. 

The book would be incomplete if essays were not devoted to how Singapore and Singaporeans would like to see this relationship evolve and what their aspirations are for India as a country and Indians as a diaspora. That is well covered in Section III aptly named Thinking About The Future with essays listing issues and challenges for India like developing an inclusive and plural society, education and skill development for its youth, women empowerment, human development, free trade, job creation and delayering the bureaucracy to facilitate investments and reducing the friction of doing business in India. 

Whilst all the essays are well written, and researched and cover a multitude of topics my favourites, in no particular order, are the foreword by Mr. Goh Chok Tong, essays by Ma Swan Hoo, Karen Tan, Walter Woon, Chan Jia Hao, Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Gopinath Pillai and Benjamin Yap.

The book is comprehensive and touches on most critical issues, however, some aspects that could have been covered in greater depth include thought-leadership between Singapore and India in the pressing field of climate change. Essays could also have been devoted around educational exchange and formal learning institutions, high end technology collaboration in areas like Artificial Intelligence / Robotics and exploration of frontiers in outer space and the deep oceans. The book would have also been significantly richer if the essays were accompanied with a collection of photographs to give the reader a visual context to many of the topics. 

Notwithstanding the few shortcomings, the book remains an excellent read for all those interested in understanding India, its potential & challenges and Indian people and culture from Singapore’s vantage point. Many lessons can be learnt, historical facts & contexts appreciated and cultural biases blunted from reading this book. Most importantly, all readers are likely to walk away with a healthy respect and admiration for this long standing solid relationship between Singapore and India.  

https://www.amazon.sg/India-Our-Minds-Shanmugaratnam-Singaporean/dp/9811224900/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GET7UL9SZFM0&dchild=1&keywords=india+on+our+minds&qid=1615779385&sprefix=india+on+o%2Caps%2C297&sr=8-1

By Fahreed Balsara

The author is an Indian national and a permanent resident of Singapore.

He has lived and worked in Singapore for over a decade.

Before Singapore he spent many years living, working and studying in London.