NEW DELHI and SINGAPORE — The Confederation of Indian Industry and NUS-ISS of the National University of Singapore (NUS) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance digital leadership and governance capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) among Indian enterprises through an exclusive executive certification programme. The MOU was exchanged at the CII Annual Business Summit in the presence of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N Chandra Babu Naidu; HE Mr Simon Wong, High Commissioner of Singapore to India; Mr Rajiv Memani, President, CII and Dr Suchitra Ella, Vice-President, CII.
The partnership aims to strengthen India’s digital transformation ecosystem by equipping enterprises with strategic understanding and practical insights into AI, digital governance, cybersecurity, innovation leadership, and emerging technologies.
As part of this collaboration, CII and NUS-ISS will jointly deliver the “Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance”, an exclusive capacity-building certification programme designed for board members, CXOs (Chief Executive Officers), industry leaders, and senior decision-makers navigating the evolving global technology landscape.
The programme builds on the success of three pilot editions conducted at NUS-ISS in Singapore in November 2024, May 2025, and November 2025. Under the new agreement, both organisations will formalise and expand the initiative with half-yearly programme runs planned for 2026, 2027, and 2028. To date more than 65 Indian industry executives have been trained under this initiative.
Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director-General, CII, said:
“India’s growth journey will increasingly be shaped by how effectively industry leaders embrace digital transformation and AI-led innovation. CII’s collaboration with NUS-ISS is an important step towards building leadership capacity in emerging technologies and governance frameworks. More than 65 Indian industry executives have been trained through this initiative. Our aim is to train more than 100 industry executives by the end of 2026. This initiative also complements the ‘Digitalisation’ and ‘Skilling’ pillars under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Singapore.”
Mr Khoong Chan Meng, CEO, NUS-ISS, added: “This partnership with CII reflects our shared commitment to building future-ready leadership capabilities for the industry. As AI rapidly reshapes businesses and economies, leaders must understand both the opportunities and governance implications of AI adoption. Through the Leadership Programme on Artificial Intelligence and Governance, NUS-ISS looks forward to supporting Indian enterprises in developing strategic digital leadership competencies and fostering responsible innovation.”
The Global Leadership Centre of CII, based in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, will anchor joint programmes on leadership and digitalisation with NUS-ISS under the MoU.
The partnership will also explore broader areas of collaboration in digital upskilling, including executive education programmes, specialised training for industry professionals, and enhanced knowledge exchange initiatives between India and Singapore.
