GANDHINAGAR — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has shown it “really means business”, which bodes well for Singapore firms, which are well placed to help India achieve its goals, said Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran yesterday.

Speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Mr Iswaran, whose four-day visit to India was accompanied by the largest delegation of Singaporean businessmen — about 100 strong — to the country in recent years, said the firms’ participation reflects their interest and confidence in India.

“This confidence stems in no small part from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s historic victory in the general election last year and Mr Modi’s strong leadership,” Mr Iswaran told a packed hall at the Mahatma Mandir convention and exhibition centre at the opening of the summit, where Singapore is participating as a partner country for the first time.

“As an old friend and partner of India, Singapore is excited by Mr Modi’s vision for India and the way he and his ministers are re-energising the Indian bureaucracy to devote attention and take decisive steps towards achieving the PM’s vision for India,” he said.

The fact that Mr Modi is personally overseeing the project monitoring group — a mechanism to track the progress of large investment projects — signals that “this time, things will be different and India really means business”, Mr Iswaran said, adding that an area Singapore hopes to make a significant contribution to is Mr Modi’s initiatives to develop smart and sustainable cities.

Mr Modi reiterated India’s commitment to social and economic reform. “Our last national elections marked a turning point in Indian democracy ... My government is committed to improving the economic and social conditions of India, including the quality of life,” he said. “Since the first day, my government has been actively working to revive the economy. My government is committed to creating a policy environment that is predictable, transparent and fair ... We are on the path of transformation.”

The Vibrant Gujarat Summit is a biennial business event organised by the Gujarat state government. This year, participants have come from more than 100 countries and include high-profile attendees such as United States Secretary of State John Kerry and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The summit was started by Mr Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Mr Iswaran also met Mr Modi in Gujarat on Saturday, during which they reaffirmed bilateral ties and discussed opportunities for economic collaboration in areas such as energy.

In 2013, India was Singapore’s 11th-largest trading partner and 12th-largest export destination. Total trade between the two nations stands at more than S$25 billion a year and Singapore is also India’s largest trade and investment partner in ASEAN.

Mr Iswaran said Singapore is working with Andhra Pradesh on master planning and development of its new capital city. Singapore is also exploring opportunities in other states and cities in sectors such as township development and industrial parks.

Mr Iswaran is scheduled to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu today to discuss the Singapore-Andhra Pradesh Capital City Project.