Kolkata: Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Singapore’s apex business chamber, is exploring a partnership with Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCC&I) to promote defence exports from Bengal to ASEAN markets.Prasoon Mukherjee, chairperson of SBF’s India Business Committee, said there was significant scope to expand defence exports to ASEAN countries, citing India’s exports of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines and Indonesia. He was speaking at Indo-Pacific Economic Conclave organised by BCC&I on Friday.SBF has 32,000 member companies. Mukherjee said Bengal had a locational advantage in accessing ASEAN markets and a growing base of MSMEs supplying defence components to the armed forces and paramilitary forces.Bengal chief minister’s adviser Subrata Gupta said the govt was also planning a defence park at Raghunathpur, for which 200 acres had been identified near land allotted earlier this week to Jupiter Defence. The company plans to manufacture detonators and other components.BCC&I director general Subhodip Ghosh said the chamber had initially identified 139 MSMEs involved in defence manufacturing across Howrah, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Nadia and Burdwan. Following field surveys of the factories, 118 MSMEs were shortlisted.
