Travel Guides & Articles
IndiGo and Singapore Tourism Board Strengthen Ties to Boost Travel Between India and Singapore: Here’s What You Need To Know
Published on
August 10, 2025 |
In an exciting new development aimed at strengthening tourism between India and Singapore, IndiGo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). This partnership, marking the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore diplomatic relations, sets the stage for enhanced travel connectivity and tourism promotion between the two nations. It is the first MoU between IndiGo and a national tourism board, as well as STB’s first with an Indian airline.
The project is positioned to take place over the upcoming year, with the goal to enhance the Singapore reputation as a premier leisure and business travel hubs Singapore for Indian Visitors. Singapore has always been one of the top international travel destinations for IndiGo and their collaboration is expected to increase travel further, making the Singapore city-state even more appealing.
The Growing Demand for Travel to Singapore
India has consistently been one of the most significant markets for tourism to Singapore, and this trend is expected to continue. According to IndiGo, over 500,000 Indian visitors traveled to Singapore in the first half of 2025 alone. This growing demand is further fueled by the seamless connectivity between Changi Airport, one of Southeast Asia’s busiest airports, and 15 Indian cities, making it easier for travelers to access Singapore. With this new partnership, IndiGo aims to enhance its services to Singapore and increase its market share of this growing demand.
IndiGoStretch: The Premium Travel Experience
In line with this new partnership, IndiGo has launched IndiGoStretch, a new premium service for travelers between India and Singapore. Starting from August 9, 2025, IndiGoStretch will cater to business travelers flying between Singapore, Delhi, and Mumbai. The premium service offers tailored business products designed to enhance the overall travel experience, from more comfortable seating to added convenience and services.
Pieter Elbers, IndiGo’s CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting that the airline is delighted to work with STB to strengthen travel links between India and Singapore. He also emphasized the airline’s position to meet the growing demand for high-quality travel experiences between the two countries.
The Untold Singapore Campaign
In continuation of previously formed collaborations, IndiGo and STB launched a campaign earlier this year to market the lesser-known hidden gems of Singapore. The campaign ‘Untold Singapore’ aims to capture a diverse audience by portraying Singapore in all its glory, both popular and off-the-beaten-path.
With India being one of the largest source markets for Singapore tourism, this campaign is expected to reach a broad audience. The initiative will include special offers, travel tips, and experiences that are unique to Singapore, attracting more travelers to explore beyond the typical tourist attractions.
Strengthening Connections and Future Plans
Forward-looking, both IndiGo and STB intend to synergistically work on optimizing the current routes as well as launching new ones to improve connectivity further. Given the extensive reach of IndiGo across India, the airline can effectively serve the market for travel to Singapore from various Indian cities. The campaign will also work towards expanding business and leisure travel opportunities for tourists who wish to explore the rich culture and immense business potential that Singapore provides.
The MoU represents not only a significant step in strengthening tourism ties but also a long-term commitment to promoting mutual growth between India and Singapore. This partnership is part of a broader strategy by STB to tap into India’s dynamic travel market, while also offering Indian tourists more ways to experience Singapore.
Official Statements and Significance
In her official comments, Melissa Ow, Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, voiced optimism that the partnership would elevate the travel and tourism relations between Singapore and India. As she added, the collaboration will capture the value of the fast-expanding travel market of India while enhancing the experience of Singapore for Indian tourists.
She further highlighted that the collaboration celebrates 60 years of India-Singapore diplomatic relations, underscoring the significance of this partnership. The year-long campaign, she said, will highlight Singapore’s diverse offerings and will be a milestone in driving tourism and travel growth for both countries.
Conclusion: A Win-Win for Both Nations
This strategic collaboration between IndiGo and STB marks a significant milestone in promoting India-Singapore tourism. By strengthening air travel services and showcasing Singapore’s hidden gems, the partnership promises to increase tourist arrivals, enhance the tourism experience, and drive further collaboration between the two nations.
With the campaign already gaining momentum, both partners are confident that this initiative will contribute to the long-term growth of tourism between India and Singapore. As the partnership continues to develop, IndiGo and STB are setting a strong foundation for increased tourism traffic and creating meaningful travel experiences for both leisure and business travelers.
Travel Guides & Articles
India eyes bigger slice of Philippines’ $2.5 billion rice market with export push
The Philippines has emerged as a critical market for India’s agricultural exports. In 2024, Manila imported farm goods worth nearly $20 billion, including semi-milled rice, wheat and meslin, oilcake, food preparations and palm oil. India’s shipments to the country stood at $413 million, making up just 2% of the Philippines’ total agricultural imports.
Key Indian exports to the Philippines included beef, groundnut, rice and tobacco. Despite being the world’s largest exporter of rice, with overseas sales worth $11.83 billion in 2024-25, India’s rice exports to the Philippines were valued at only $48.91 million during the same period.
“Philippines is the largest importer of rice in the world, with imports in 2024 valued at $2.52 billion. However, there is significant opportunity to expand India’s rice exports in the Philippines as, despite India being the world’s largest rice exporter, India’s rice exports were only $48.91 million to the Philippines in the same period,” the official noted, calling it an untapped opportunity.
To bridge this gap, the commerce ministry is facilitating a delegation of rice exporters, along with those dealing in other potential products such as onions, potatoes, groundnut and meat, to travel to the Philippines in early September. The initiative is expected to strengthen trade linkages and help Indian exporters establish a stronger foothold in the region.
The engagement is set to continue later in the year, with a team of Philippine food importers due to participate in World Food India, scheduled for September 25-28 . They will take part in the International Rice Conference on October 30-31, 2025, billed as the first large-scale trade fair of its kind for the rice sector.
India is also witnessing a surge in agricultural exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Exports to the bloc rose from $480 million in 2023-24 to $628 million in 2024-25, driven largely by stronger trade ties with Russia.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority has played an active role in the growth of India agriculture exports by showcasing Indian produce at international trade events such as World Food Moscow. According to officials, such platforms have been vital in boosting visibility, forging new business partnerships and consolidating India’s presence in the CIS market.
Travel Guides & Articles
KSRTC adds 90 extra buses for Onam festivities between Bengaluru, Kerala: Report | Bengaluru
Published on: Aug 31, 2025 02:47 pm IST
The KSRTC will deploy 90 additional buses from September 2 to 4 to accommodate Onam travellers between Bengaluru and Kerala.
What’s the story
Chennai‘s Manali area witnessed a cloudburst on Saturday night, leading to heavy rainfall.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 10.6cm of rain from 10:00pm to 11:00pm and another 12.6cm from 11:00pm to midnight on August 30, 2025.
Wimco Nagar received the highest rainfall of 15.7cm during the hour from 11:00pm to midnight on August 30, followed by Korattur with 13.7cm and New Manali Town with 10.3cm during the same period.
Manali receives 27cm of rain
The IMD recorded over 100mm of rainfall in several parts of Chennai.
Manali received 27cm of rain while New Manali Town and Wimco Nagar received 26cm and 23cm, respectively, during a 24-hour period ending at 8:30am on Sunday.
Other areas such as Kathivakkam (13.6cm), Tiruvottiyur (12.6cm), and Ayapakkam (12.1cm) also witnessed heavy rainfall during this period.
Heavy rainfall affects air travel
The heavy rainfall in Chennai also affected air travel. Three flights from Frankfurt, Mangaluru, and New Delhi were diverted to Bengaluru as they couldn’t land at the city airport due to the weather conditions.
However, once the weather cleared up in Chennai, passengers were flown back from Bengaluru by different flights.
Weather forecast for Tamil Nadu
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecasted light to moderate rain in isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal in the next 24 hours.
Strong winds with speeds of 40-50km/h are also likely over these areas.
This weather update comes after a similar pattern was observed on August 23 when several districts, including Chennai, received moderate to heavy overnight rains.
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