Singapore, India Legal Bodies Sign Pact to Boost Cross-border Practice
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New Delhi- The Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA) and the General Counsels’ Association of India (GCAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between the in-house legal communities of the two countries.
According to a report by Bar & Bench, the MoU was signed on August 28 at GCAI’s “India-Singapore Legal Bridge: Enabling Growth, Investment and Effective Dispute Resolution in a Changing Global Economy” event, held on the sidelines of Singapore Convention Week.
The event brought together legal and business leaders to discuss the India-Singapore-ASEAN investment landscape and the role of the legal profession in facilitating cross-border growth.
The partnership will focus on knowledge exchange, professional development and greater cross-border engagement among in-house counsel, besides exploring ways to advance professional standards and promote their greater alignment across jurisdictions.
A key initiative will be a proposed cross-border immersion programme jointly developed by SCCA Academy and GCAI for local and international students. It will provide practical exposure to in-house legal practice, including legal technology and artificial intelligence, negotiation and forensic investigations, with participation from experienced in-house counsel and industry experts.
SCCA president Daniel Choo said the partnership would bring the two countries’ in-house legal communities closer and help prepare the next generation of legal talent for changes driven by technology, regulation and new business models.
GCAI co-founder Akhil Prasad said the increasing complexity of cross-border business would require a new generation of lawyers equipped with skills beyond traditional legal education, including AI, negotiation, investigations and complex commercial problem-solving.
The event was attended by Supreme Court Justice Manmohan, Attorney General R Venkataramani, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Singapore Sudhi Chowdhary and Drew & Napier Chairman Jimmy Yim, among others.
GCAI co-founder Sanjeev Gemawat described the MoU as a “historic beginning”, saying closer institutional collaboration could help build a stronger and more integrated legal ecosystem across India, Singapore and the wider region, enabling businesses to invest with confidence and resolve disputes effectively.
The MoU is intended to form the basis of a long-term partnership between the two associations, with further details of the proposed initiatives to be announced later.