India's 'Look East' policy since the early 1990s and the tangible steps taken toward economic liberalization coincided with Singapore's 'India Fever' for diversifying the island nation's choices in terms of business opportunities and defense parameters thus, heralding a paradigm shift. The spate of high profile visits between India and Singapore in 2002 and 2003 underline the significance New Delhi and Singapore attach to each other for widening the window of opportunities and in forging closer economic and security links. Further, India and Singapore are mutually important economic partners.

Singapore is India's most important trading partner amongst the ASEAN countries and also India's gateway to ASEAN and China. India's relations with Singapore have grown considerably over the last decade, but a vast potential still remains untapped. Singapore has considerable strengths in the old economy and ambitions in the new economy. India has needs in the old economy and some competence in the new economy. In this lies a major confluence of our interests. To buttress the process of accentuating India-Singapore ties, consistent interaction between the Parliamentarians of the two countries is not just important, but essential. Hence, the formation of the India - Singapore Forum of Parliamentarians