India On Our Minds: Essays By Tharman Shanmugaratnam And 50 Singaporean Friends Of India

by Tommy Koh, Hernaikh Singh, Chok Tong Goh (Editor)

Singapore and India established diplomatic relations in August 1965. However, their ties date as far back as the 10th century. The last half century has seen a blossoming of their relationship. The two countries' warm and substantive friendship is based upon history, economics, defense cooperation and a high degree of mutual trust. The relationship is quite unique because a significant portion of Singapore's population consists of ethnic Indians and an Indian language, Tamil, is one of Singapore's official languages.The book brings together 52 of Singapore's thought leaders. They come from different sectors of the Singapore's society. Each of them has written an essay on India's past or present or future. Each essay is short, easy to read and full of insight and humour. One of the writers is Singapore's Senior Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a person who is admired both in Singapore and in India. The book includes essays on Nalanda University, Amaravati, India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. On the lighter side, the book contains two charming essays by Ambassador Karen Tan and Eirliani Abdul Rahman on their time in India.The book's foreword is written by Mr Goh Chok Tong, Singapore's second Prime Minister. It was Mr Goh who overcame prejudice and inertia and launched a new beginning in Singapore-India relations.This publication is a candid reflection of India and India-Singapore relations by Singaporeans who carry the hope that India will rise above its challenges to join the ranks of the great nations of the world. It will be of interest to Singaporeans who are interested in India and Indians who are interested in Singapore.

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2020

About the author

Professor Tommy Koh is currently Ambassador-At-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Special Adviser of the Institute of Policy Studies and Chairman of the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore. He is the Chairman of the SymAsia Foundation of Credit Suisse. He is also the Rector of Tembusu College at the University Town of the National University of Singapore.

Prof Koh was the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Singapore from 1971 to 1974. He was Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York from 1968 to 1971 (concurrently accredited as High Commissioner to Canada) and again from 1974 to 1984 (concurrently accredited as High Commissioner to Canada and Ambassador to Mexico). He was Ambassador to the United States of America from 1984 to 1990. He was President of the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1981 to 1982. He was Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for and the Main Committee of the UN Conference on Environment and Development from 1990 to 1992. He was the founding Chairman of the National Arts Council from 1991 to 1996, Director of the Institute of Policy Studies from 1990 to February 1997 and from December 2000 to July 2004. From February 1997 to October 2000, he served as the founding Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation. He was also Singapore’s Chief Negotiator for the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (2000 to 2003). He is the agent of Singapore in two legal disputes between Singapore and Malaysia. He chairs three committees for the National University of Singapore relating to law, Asia research and environmental management.

Prof Koh was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as his Special Envoy to lead a mission to the Russian Federation, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in August/September 1993. Prof Koh was a member of three WTO dispute panels, two of which as Chairman.

Prof Koh received a First Class Honours degree in Law from the National University of Singapore, has a Masters degree in Law from Harvard University and a post-graduate Diploma in Criminology from Cambridge University. He was conferred a full professorship in 1977. In 1984, Prof Koh was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by Yale University. He has also received awards from Columbia University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Curtin University. On 22 September 2002, Prof Koh was conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws by Monash University. He has taught at various universities in the United States and China.

For his service to the nation, Prof Koh was awarded the Public Service Star in 1971, the Meritorious Service Medal in 1979, the Distinguished Service Order Award in 1990, and the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) in 2008. Prof Koh was appointed Commander in the Order of the Golden Ark by HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands in March 1993. He received the award of the Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins from the Government of Chile on 3 April 1997. He also received the 1996 Elizabeth Haub Prize from the University of Brussels and the International Council on Environmental Law on 17 April 1997. Prof Koh was awarded the 1998 Fok Ying Tung Southeast Asia Prize by the Fok Ying Tung Foundation in Hong Kong on 29 May 1998. On 22 February 2000 he was awarded the “Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland” by the President of Finland. On 2 May 2000, he was conferred the title of “Grand Officer in the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg” by the Prime Minister of Luxembourg. On 6 August 2001, he was conferred the rank of Officer in the Order of the Legion of Honour by the President of the French Republic. He was presented with the Peace and Commerce Award by the US Secretary of Commerce, Donald Evans, in Washington DC, on 5 May 2003. His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain has bestowed upon Prof Koh the Encomienda of Isabel la Ca

Reviews

[F · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

Whilst the book is comprehensive and touches on most critical issues, 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.